Darling Nikki
by Vera Roberts
Summary: Are your personal desires worth more than a relationship? His wasn't. Hers was. OC, Batista, Melina, Cena, Kristal, Orton, possibly several more WWE stars. Mature Adult Content
1. So It Begins

_Author's Note: Yeah, ya'll probably thought I disappeared or something, right? Nah, I've been busy as usual (plus, I just met Batista and Cena so I was busy girl for the past week.)_

_This is another story that I've been working on. Don't worry, I'm still working on my other stories but this one was inspired by recent events in my life. Well, all of my stories are inspired by recent events. _

_This story contains strong sexual content and very mature adult themes. Please read and review!_

_V._

_---------------------------------------------------------_

_What's on TV tonight? Not a damn thing as usual, of course. _

Dave Batista sighed as he continuously flipped through channels. What he was looking for on the screen, he wasn't entirely sure. But he was bored and needed to watch something—at least for the next 5 to 10 minutes. After that, he wouldn't be so bored anymore.

Settling back into his plush sofa, Dave settled on watching the latest recaps on SportsCenter. It wasn't a hardcore action movie and it certainly wasn't the porn he would rather see, but for the time being it would do. He took a plume of his Cuban and small sip of the brandy he was nursing. Despite how bored he was or claimed to be, he had an overall good night.

Just as Dave was concentrated on the latest baseball recaps, his wife's moans temporarily distracted him from the replay screen. He glanced down to see Nikki's back arched off the floor while she squeezed her breasts in pleasure. Their date for the evening, Melina, was orally pleasing Nikki to the point of no return. He watched momentarily and adjusted his position on the sofa so his slacks weren't suffocating his erection. He then turned his attention back to SportsCenter. When the women were ready for him, they'll let him know.

Earlier that evening, Nikki and Dave had a nice romantic dinner. He just returned home from traveling overseas from business and she surprised him with a home-cooked meal. They conversed over their respective careers and talked about dinner party arrangements for the upcoming week. After dinner, they headed out to their favorite hot-spot, a local strip club named Bianca's.

For what it's worth, Bianca's was considered to be a high-end strip club, if there was one. The club had an aura that was reminiscent of a 1930s bar rather than a hole in the wall. There wasn't the typical haze or bright neon lights. Instead, soft lights and light fragrance of plumeria teased patrons' noses. The strippers spoke intelligently and only cursed when they were lip-synching to a rap song.

As usual, Dave and Nikki were VIP guests in the club. Dave was friends with the owner and it wasn't a secret that Nikki had a penchant for strippers. She almost became one when she was younger but due to some convincing from her very-religious friends, she didn't pursue it. Of course, it didn't mean she didn't pursue her other sexual deviants.

Sipping on champagne and eating hors oeuvres, Nikki quickly became bored. All of the girls were doing the same routine. Walk across the stage. Smile at the patrons. Bend over and jiggle. Walk around the pole. Climb the pole. Take off the shorts. Take off the top. Do the splits. Collect the money and leave. They were being completely robotic and thoughtless in their acts. Nikki was so frustrated, she was getting ready to go onstage and show the strippers a thing or two when a new dancer caught her eye.

"_That one," she pointed to a buxom Latina on the stage to her husband, "I want that one."_

_Dave nodded in agreement as his wife surely had exquisite taste. The stripper was petite with curves so dangerous, they were overflowing out of her tiny maid's uniform. She was a stunning brunette with full lips and hypnotizing brown eyes. And when she bent over to make her ass clap, Dave immediately thought about bending her over right then and there. He made sure he tipped the dancer nicely so she would give him and Nikki extra attention.  
_

_After her performance, she came over and sat with the couple. "Thank you for the tips." She said shyly. _

_The business woman in Nicole Batista immediately kicked into full gear. "How much do you cost?" Nikki asked._

_The stripper shook her head. "What? I'm not following you."_

"_You're coming home with me." Nikki put her hand on top of the stripper's equally small hands. "What's your name, baby?"_

"_Melina." She replied with a slow smile. "Am I just coming home with you or him too?" She motioned to Dave. _

_Before Dave could respond, Nikki interrupted. "You're going to fuck us both." _

Now, several hours later, Dave was watching his personal live porn. His wife of four years was being eaten out by one of the prime performers at Bianca's. The moans from both women filled the room as Nikki began to ride Melina's tongue. She briefly opened her eyes and locked stares with her husband, who smiled in return.

"You like how she's eating my pussy, baby?" Nikki breathed as Dave smiled again.

"Is she almost done?" He asked.

"Almost." Nikki closed her eyes again and let the pleasure wash over her. Melina claimed she had never been with a woman before, but she performed like she was a fucking expert. Maybe it was studying porn or just knowing how a woman's body worked. But whatever it was, Nikki was climbing the walls—much to her husband's delight.

Melina suddenly pushed Nikki's legs back to her ears and focused on her clit. She feverishly worked her tongue bringing Nikki to a screaming orgasm. Letting go of her legs, Melina climbed on top of Nikki and the women engaged in a sensual kiss. Both women then turned to Dave.

"Are you ready?" Melina asked.

Dave put down his cigar and took a last sip of his brandy. He soon undressed and his erection nearly jumped out of his boxer briefs. He slipped on a condom and began to thrust inside Melina. He occasionally slapped Melina's ass as Nikki talked dirty to her. As he moved inside her, he picked up his cigar again and began puffing on it.

Life was great. Too bad nothing lasts forever….


	2. The Next Day

"Good morning, baby. Did you have a good sleep?" Nikki asked.

Dave nodded while his eyes were still closed. The previous night's activities wore him out but he could not have been happier with the outcome. It was always a great idea to end a stressful night with a bitch on his dick and the other riding his face. "I had a great sleep. You?"

"I slept pretty well," she added. After the earth-shattering simultaneous orgasms, Nikki quickly sent Melina home. She served her purpose by pleasing her and Dave; there was no need for her to be around past that. "I hope she arrived home safely."

"You didn't have to kick her out so soon, Nic."

"Why? She sucked your dick, you ate her out, and you fucked and got off. What more was there for her to accomplish?" She defended her actions.

"Alright," he changed the subject before it turned into an argument he wasn't able to handle. Nikki was known for her fiery temper and could cut someone down without saying as much as five words. Just as her tongue was incredibly pleasing in bed, it was equally dangerous when she was angry. "Any plans for the weekend?"

"We're having dinner with Kristal and John." Nikki mentioned their neighbors. "We're supposed to meet them at their home around eight on Saturday."

"Kinda late for a dinner." Dave wondered.

"It's John and Kris, baby. You know they're always on CP time." Nikki mentioned.

"Well, I'll make sure I'll be available then," he got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. "Should be an interesting time with them again."

"Should be." Nikki replied softly. She reached over to the end table next to her and lit up a joint. She didn't consider herself a pothead and loathed the idea she could be one. To Nikki, getting high was just like sex. It was quick, available and always made her feel good no matter what time of day it was.

Puffing on her joint for a few more minutes, Nikki glanced over at the alarm clock. It was officially 7:30 AM. If she stayed in bed for a few more minutes, she could finish her joint and be that much more relaxed to start the day. But she also knew that wasn't going to happen. At some point, she needed to go to work. If only she could stay in bed to have sex and smoke all day.

_Oh well. Nothing can kill my buzz. _

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Nicole Denise Batista was an Executive Assistant at a large pharmaceutical company. She was primarily responsible for the CEO to get to his meetings, handle his calendaring and overall, make the company look great. She acquired the job at an extremely young age—23—fresh out of college and had been there for five years. She was the epitome of professionalism and often seemed mature for her age.

Her face was oval-shaped and make-up was impeccable, bringing out the deep doe-brown eyes that often attracted suitors from both sexes. It was her eyes that brought men to their knees and women between her legs. She normally wore her dark brown hair long and down her back but recently cut it to shoulder-length to update her look. She was a petite woman, only standing at 5"2 at best, and often wore high heels to compensate for her stature.

It was indeed a sharp contrast to her off-work life. She was a freak amongst her inner circle and Dave was definitely her match. No stone went unturned and in Nikki's words, 'No hole went un-filled.' Next to breathing, sex was second nature to her. She wanted to know more and studied much on the subject. One evening, she experimented on Dave, giving him a tantric blow job that lasted several hours before he climaxed. When he did, it was an explosion that left Dave drained for days.

"Good morning, Nicole." Her boss, Vince McMahon, greeted her on his way to his office.

"Good morning, Vince." Immediately seeing Vince's arrival, Nikki grabbed her pen and notebook. Every morning, Vince and Nikki had a short meeting regarding the day's activities. From then, Nikki went about her business while Vince handled the day-to-day affairs of Kalahari Medical Supplies, Inc.

"What's on the agenda today?" He asked.

Nikki opened her notebook. "You have a 9:30 meeting with Mr. Takashi, followed by a business lunch with George Wu," she finally looked up, "you also have your dental appointment at one."

"Great," he took a sip of his coffee, "anything else?"

"Nope, that's it." Nikki smiled. "Anything I should be aware of?"

"No, I think that's all," he replied, "did you have a good weekend?"

Nikki felt herself smiling over the previous night's activities. Between her top of the morning joint and the exhilarating sexual performances of the prior night, Nikki had plenty of reason to be happy. "I had a great weekend."

"What did you and Dave do?" Vince inquired.

_Well, Melina ate me out first and then Dave fucked her doggystyle. Then I licked her again while she rode him. _ "We caught a show and just had a lazy weekend." She smiled again.

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The Atlanta rain beat down on the windows at corporate offices of Koch Records. It was gloomy and dark, the perfect weather to stay at home and curl up with a good book by the fireplace.

But as Dave Batista admired the view from his corner office on the 23rd floor, it was a bright and sunny day. From the incomparable heights his wife and her temporary friend gave him last night to the best joint he's smoked in a while that morning, the gloomy day was beautiful.

Entering Koch Records, the walls were decorated with various gold and platinum plaques from the top-selling rappers and singers they company offered. Next to the receptionist's desk was a bin for unsigned artists to leave their demo tapes and inspiring screenwriters to leave their manuscripts. The overhead speaker was on constant rotation playing the latest offerings from the new artists debuting soon.

And on top of the food chain was Dave. He was the CEO of Koch, a name he established as an ode to his wife's maiden name. He was primarily responsible for the artists to make him look good. Granted he wanted the artists to proper and thrive. Surely, he wanted the bragging rights of having a Grammy-winning artist on his stable as well as having someone who sold millions upon millions. But Dave was also smart. If someone had a shitty performance, it was his fault. If their album didn't live up to par, it was his fault. But if the artists blew up, it was entirely their doing.

It was a stressful career he loved immensely. It afforded him a lot of luxuries and gave him the freedom to do whatever his pocketbook and his loins pleased. And with Nikki by his side, there were endless possibilities. "Dave Batista here." He answered his phone.

"So tell me about the bitch?" John Cena greeted.

Dave chuckled at his best friend's blatancy. "Good morning, Cena."

"Yeah, yeah, good morning." John nonchalantly replied. "So how was it?"

Dave Batista and John Cena were best friends and next-door neighbors. They met a few years ago when John brought his then-girlfriend, Kristal Marshall, for an audition. Dave immediately signed her on the spot and since then, Dave held up his bargain by propelling Kristal's career to Diva-like proportions while John continued to manage her. The men were so close, Dave and Nikki were the best man and maid of honor at John's and Kristal's wedding two years prior.

But there was more to John's and Dave's budding friendship. The men also shared each other's wives. Simple dinner parties between the couples usually meant a family pack of Trojans were going to be empty by the end of the night. "Man," Dave leaned back in his chair and shook his head in amazement. "It was absolutely incredible."

"Oh yeah? Did she do anal?"

"Which one?"

"Um, the bitch?" John asked.

"Didn't get a chance to find out." Dave shrugged. "I wanted to see if she was down but Nikki started tripping again. Kicked her out before I can even think about it."

"You know how Nic is."

"Yeah, I do," Dave conceded. Nikki didn't mind sharing Dave as long as she shared him on her terms, something Dave was still adjusting to. "So we're on for Saturday still?"

"Oh you know it!" John beamed. "Me and Kris got a new love swing so it should be fun."

"Should be," Dave thought about the various positions, "I need to head out but I'll give you a call tonight, alright?"

"Alright." John hung up the phone.

Ending his conversation, Dave tried to go back to his work by looking over a record contract. But his mind was filled with memories and thoughts of the prior night. How skillful Nikki's mouth was on him. How eager Melina wanted to please them both. The numerous orgasms they all experienced.

But it was Melina that captured Dave's attention. Nikki was already amazing in bed but it was Melina's willingness to learn that brought Dave to new heights. The core memory that stuck out was when Nikki was teaching Melina how to give head.

_"Here, baby," Nikki poured honey on Dave's hardened shaft. When Dave unzipped, Melina wasn't sure if her mouth could accommodate his girth and length, shying away from oral pleasure. But it was Nikki's insistence that made Melina want to try. "Just suck off the honey and you'll do just fine."_

_Melina kneeled in front of Dave and opened wide. She held his shaft with both hands and began to bob up and down. Dave leaned back on the couch and sighed as Nikki moved Melina's hair out of her face. "You like how she's sucking you, honey?" Nikki whispered._

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Dave took out Melina's number she wrote on a business card. He stared at the number briefly before lifting the phone off the retriever. _I wonder if she made it home safely. _


	3. Karma

Melina Perez had always put herself into precarious situations in her short lifetime. There was the time she went for a ride with a former boyfriend and his friends, only to be involved in a gang bang. There was the time she was failing a class and sucked off her professor in exchange for a passing grade. And there were the various homemade porns she made with an ex, only to find their way online. It was a matter of time before she became a stripper.

So when she was propositioned the night before by Nikki and Dave, she was surprised. Melina received propositions on a regular basis at Bianca's and hastily turned all of them down. Some of the other girls thought she was silly for turning down the offers, but Melina had a point to prove. She had done some wild things in her day but she was only stripping to pay off some credit card debt. Once the debt was cleared, she would find a decent job and go back to school.

She had been stripping for two years and her debt has yet to decrease.

It was Nikki's insistence and a monetary amount that was above anything Melina could imagine that made her decide to take up the ménage-a-trois offer. Melina considered herself experienced, being involved in a few threesomes beforehand. But nothing compared to the skill Nikki and Dave brought to the table.

Especially Dave.

He was gentle yet commanding. He was aggressive, but not forceful. And his body—his sculpted physique that made almost made her orgasm upon seeing it. Feeling his muscular chest underneath her as she steadily rode him. Caressing his strong hands as they cupped her double-D breasts. But it was his tongue that created the strongest feelings inside her. She climaxed several times just on the head he gave.

Stretching out in her twin bed, Melina smiled as she thought about the day ahead. She was going to the bank to deposit her newfound wealth, and then treat herself to a little pampering at a nearby spa. Afterwards, she'll go shopping for newer clothing for her performances.

It was going to be a great day.

The sudden ringing of her cell phone startled her and Melina squinted to look at the caller ID. She normally didn't pick up the phone if the number was unfamiliar—a lesson learned by many creditors calling her. But she was in such a great mood, she decided to be brave. After all, no collection agency was going to ruin her high.

"You'll get the money as soon as I'm able to give you some." She said hastily into the receiver.

"I beg your pardon?" Dave replied.

Melina rubbed the morning crust out of her eyes and sat up. "You know? The money? I know you're a creditor so you'll get it once I get paid so stop calling me, alright?"

"I'm sorry, I must dialed the wrong number," Dave glanced at the business card, "I was looking for Melina. We met last night."

Melina felt the familiar flutter of butterflies in her stomach. The man that turned her out in more ways than one was on the other end of the line. She loved how wicked Nikki was in bed but it was Dave's gentleness that made Melina respond to his touching more. "Is this…Dave?"

"It is," he leaned back in his office chair, "I was calling to see if you made it home safely last night."

Dave's deep baritone was doing more than causing the nervous school-girl crush feelings Melina had. He was getting her off without trying. "I did. Um, thank you." She replied.

"You're welcome," he swung his office chair to face the city view. It was still dark and gloomy outside but Dave managed to see the beauty of it. "Did you enjoy yourself last night?"

"Did I? It was amazing!" Melina gushed. Until the previous night, she didn't know she was capable of multiple orgasms. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"I did. Very much." Dave's assistant came into the office and knocked on the door. Dave turned around and motioned him to wait momentarily. He needed to attend a record contract signing but it could wait. Hearing the freshness of Melina's voice was a little more important. "I hope you found the compensation to your standards."

_Are you kidding me?_ Melina reached over to her purse and pulled out the folded stack of hundred- and one-dollar bills. It was $2800 total. Nikki always paid for her sexual indiscretions with cash, leaving no paper trail to anyone in case something went awry. "The money is great! Thank you."

"You're very welcome." Dave's assistant once again motioned for him to get off the phone. _Kid, you are about one step away from the ass-beating of your life if you keep it up. _Dave quickly eyed his desk for something to throw at him. He eyeballed a pair of scissors and glanced at his assistant again, who quickly took the hint. "Say, if you're available later, I would love to talk to you again."

Melina knew she was going to be plenty busy that day but Dave just gave her a reason to free up her schedule. "I should be. I guess I'll wait until I hear from you?"

"Sure, that'll work. I'll call you this afternoon. Take care now, baby."

_He called me Baby. _Melina pulled her knees to her chest and tuck a lock of hair behind an ear. For a one-night stand, Dave was showing more interest than what Melina was used to. And she liked it. "Take care, Dave."

After Dave hung up the phone, he stared down at his assistant. A few more minutes and it was almost a sure guarantee he was going to have phone sex with Melina. Now he had to impatiently wait for his hard-on to calm down. "What in the fuck was so important, Orton?"

Randy Orton brightly smiled at his mentor. "Nothing. I just wanted to see what you were up to."

Dave grinned at Randy. He then reached over and chucked the pair of scissors at him. It was a good thing Randy had great reflexes.

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South Coast Plaza was the crème de la crème of malls. From Tiffany's to Louis Vuitton to Bloomingdales, it catered to rich and luxurious. There were onsite spa treatments and a variety of high-end restaurants to dine from.

And for once, Melina felt like she could afford half the shit in the mall.

Stepping onto the escalator, Melina felt on top of the world. Her life wasn't great, but it wasn't shitty. The day was still gloomy and dark but to her, it was bright like a California day. And for the first time in a long while, Melina felt herself smiling uncontrollably. It could have been the sudden windfall she had experienced the night before. It could have been the most exhilarating sexual experience she's had in a long while.

Or it could be she had a newfound love interest.

Melina didn't want to jump to conclusions about Dave. He was a married man. Sure him and his wife were freaks but they could have been that way with other people, possibly other couples. Maybe he called all of his one-night stands. Maybe it was his standard protocol he and Nikki did. Maybe he was just being nice.

_But why would he want to call me back? One-night stands don't do that. _

Confused and having the increasing urge to take her mind off things, Melina went inside La Perla, a lingerie boutique known for its exquisite taste in the finest undergarments. Melina was more of a Victoria's Secret girl but felt the need to splurge just this once. She never knew when the opportunity would present itself again. The saleswoman helped Melina pick out some items and she excitedly rushed into her private room to try them on.

As she was admiring the black silk bodysuit, Melina heard a familiar voice enter the dressing rooms. "Girl, all I can say is that I'm officially tired from all that sucking and fucking from last night!" Nikki boasted.

"I don't understand how you and Dave can just pick any ass off the street," Kristal shook her head, "at least the bitches I pick out, I know who they are."

"Well, I was feeling generous last night," Nikki quickly changed into a pink lacy teddy and stepped out to show her best friend. "I haven't had a Latina in a while."

Kristal took a step back and raised an eyebrow to her best friend. "Stop your generosity, Nikki."

"Girl, all she was was some ass for the night," Nikki scoffed as she admired the lingerie on her body. "She did what she was paid to do and that is it."

"Nikki, you know you're wrong," Kristal chuckled.

"How am I wrong? She's a fucking stripper, for Christ's sake! She's lucky I paid her what I did. Kris, that bitch made $300 off Dave's tips, plus the extra $2500 I gave her. Her ass needs to be thanking me." Nikki took off the bra and tried on another two-piece. "Bitch didn't even know how to suck a dick."

"Is that possible?" Kristal asked.

"If you're a two-dollar whore, it is!" Nikki laughed as Kristal joined her.

Melina sat in shock in her private dressing room as she listened to Nikki berate her. It was a sharp contrast to the sweet talk Dave had given her earlier. Just as Melina was getting ready to confront Nikki, her cell phone went off. She recognized Dave's number on the other end. She was tempted to answer it and speak loudly enough so Nikki could hear her. But she quickly wised up. Nikki might have seen Melina as a one-night stand. Dave clearly didn't.

With that, Melina answered her phone.


	4. Playing With Fire

"Hello?" Melina whispered into her phone.

"Melina?" Dave asked on the other end. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No, not at all," she whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" He asked.

"I don't want other people hearing my business."

"Where are you?"

"I'm a dressing room trying on lingerie." Melina whispered.

"Really?" Dave's mind began racing with vivid images of Melina in next to nothing. Dave silently admitted, however, his favorite look on her was naked. "Anything you might want to show me?"

"Maybe." Melina covered the phone as she listened for Nikki and Kristal. They were still in the dressing room and it wasn't clear when they would be leaving. Melina appreciated Dave wanting to talk sexy to her but she was not in the mood for any kinky conversations if his wife was only 20 feet away. "Could you call me back later? I'm a little busy."

"I thought you weren't?"

"Well, I am." Melina hastily said.

"What store are you in?"

"What?"

"What store are you in?"

"La Perla."

_Of course, you are. _ Dave remembered Nikki briefly mentioning her and Kristal going shopping during their lunch hour at the upscale boutique. "Stay in the store as long as you can. I'll meet you at the mall shortly." He then hung up.

"Wait…wait…" Melina flipped up her phone. She sat down on the bench and listened to Nikki and Kristal laugh endlessly at her expense. Now the husband was going to meet her at the mall.

Her beautiful day was slowly starting to become shitty.

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"I'm taking an extended lunch." Dave mentioned to Randy as he was leaving Koch's offices. "I'll see you later, kid."

Randy Orton didn't bother looking up from the Billboard magazine. Working for Dave for the past six years, he was well aware Dave's extended lunch meant a nooner between him and Nikki. It also meant a nooner between Dave and whatever female willing to suck him off under his desk. "Tell Nikki I said hi," he replied to Dave's hand motion. After Dave left, his office phone rang. "Dave Batista's office."

"Hey Randy," Nikki greeted, "is Dave available?"

"Yeah, he's on his way to meet you."

"He is?" She asked. "Why is he meeting me?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I just know he's on his way."

"Alright. I guess I'll wait for him back at the office. Thanks, Randy."

"Not a problem," he hung up the phone. He shook his head and went back to reading the magazine. "That man is going to get his dick cut off one day."

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"Dave's meeting me back at the office," Nikki flipped up her cell phone.

"He is?" Kristal asked. "A nooner?"

"Probably." Nikki gathered her lingerie and headed towards the cashier's. "I need to head back there."

_Thank God. _Melina felt a sudden weight released from her shoulders. Now she had to wait for Dave to come and rescue her. _Wow, I am Captain's Save-a-Ho._ She quietly listened for Nikki and Kristal to leave the store but she remained in her room. She didn't want to take any risks of a potential ass-beating. She was changing back into her clothing when she heard a knock on her door. She cautiously opened the door and was greeted by dark shades, a white business casual suit, and a panty-dropping smile.

"It's okay to come out and play." Dave said.

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The only good about meeting Dave at the mall was the free lunch at Lawry's. It was one of her favorite restaurants and she loved to go there whenever she could. It was the only good thing to come out of the past 24 hours besides her orgasms.

Melina's feelings were a sharp contrast from the previous night. Instead of being brought to endless heights of pleasure, she felt like she on a bad episode of Punk'd. Except there was no Ashton Kutcher or hidden cameras. This was real life and Melina was trying very hard to find the humor in any of it.

If Melina was feeling uncomfortable, Dave was right there with her. He barely missed seeing Nikki and Kristal. When Nikki called him about lunch, he told her he had to make some errands but he'll see her shortly—which wasn't entirely a lie but it wasn't the truth.

But it was Melina he was concerned about. He only imagined what Melina overheard between Nikki and Kristal and didn't want to know for his own sanity. A part of him wanted to apologize to Melina on Nikki's behalf but a part of it also knew it wasn't anything personal from Nikki. If it was another woman, her reaction would have been the same way.

But it didn't stop him from feeling a tad guilty Melina had to hear it. "How's your prime rib?"

"It's good," she replied as she played with her garlic mashed potatoes. Curiosity got the best of her and she just had to know exactly what was going on before she bolted out of the mall. "So let me ask you…the other night, was that the first time you and Nikki took someone home?"

Dave took a sip of his Chai tea latte. "No," he answered point blank.

"So you and your wife are swingers?" Melina asked.

_Nikki and Dave were sent on a blind date by mutual friends. After ordering dinner, Nikki laid out of her cards on the table. "I'm going to be real with you. I can't just be with you. I also need to be with another woman or man."_

"_That's fine by me, baby." Dave smiled, "because I can't just be with one woman, either." _Dave smiled at the memory before he addressed Melina. "If you want to put a label on it." He replied.

Melina paused as she let the new information work through her brain. She's heard of the swinger lifestyle and saw it played out in movies and TV. But to know someone who was actually living it was completely different. "And you're totally fine with sharing your wife with someone else?"

"It's a win-win situation. She shares me with other women; I share her with other women and men." Dave then grinned at Melina, who had a permanent look of confusion on her face. "The concept is mind-boggling to you, isn't it?"

"No, it's not that. I-I…I just can't imagine why you would want to share your wife and vice-versa? I mean, if we were together, I wouldn't want to share you."

Dave took notice of Melina's comment. It made him smile. Surely, he's heard that before by the many women before Melina. He'll probably hear it again for the women after her as well. But coming from the petite brunette sitting across from him, it was sweet and endearing. "Thank you."

"But why the interest in me?" She asked. "You can have any woman out there."

"Honestly, I don't know." Dave admitted. He's had many women suck him off and fuck him into oblivion. Most of his one-nighters were forgotten about the next day and he didn't think twice about them. But there was something about Melina that curiously reminded him of Nikki when he first met her. "You're a breath of fresh air."

"So what do you want? A mistress?" Melina inquired. "Because I don't do that."

"You don't do_that_?" Dave wanted to laugh. The same woman who bragged about how good Nikki tasted and had a mouthful of her for the majority of the night was all of a sudden having a moral conscience. "You didn't mind doing _that _last night. You didn't mind sleeping with a married woman."

"I didn't mind because it was consensual and open," she clarified, "you both were sharing me right in front of each other. What you're asking is to keep me a secret."

"If my wife already knows about you, what's the secret?"

Melina was dying to ask her next question but a part of her wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer. "How many other mistresses do you have?"

"I don't have any." Dave took another sip of his Chai Tea Latte. "Melina, I'm not asking you to do something you're uncomfortable with. I would just like to be friends with you."

"Just friends? That's it?"

"Believe it or not, I am capable of being friends with a woman who I've slept with."

"And what about Nikki? She'll be fine with this?"

"I don't answer to my wife, Melina," he replied, not sure if he believed the answer, "let me handle her."


	5. Buzzkill

"God, I love your tits." Nikki murmured before she squeezed Kristal's breasts together and flicked her tongue back and forth.

"Mmm…I love that you love them." Kristal giggled.

"So I'm thinking we travel all over the world for her newest album, baby." John said to Dave as the men shared a joint. Hard-core porn was playing on the plasma flat-screen in front of them and the men bounced their attention from the action on screen to the live fantasy played out before their eyes. It was standard procedure—the women got each other off before their husbands had them.

Meanwhile, Dave and John watched either SportsCenter, porn, or whatever cooking show on the Food Network. They used to watch Nikki and Kristal but when the guys started to incorporate color commentary, the women gladly let them watch TV as well. "I'm thinking we should hit Tokyo because Kris is huge there and make our way all over the U.K. and other Asia countries," Dave added as he passed the joint back to John, "she has an incredible fan base over there."

"Sounds good to me, baby." John took a toke of the marijuana and let the smoke sit in his body for a few seconds. During a joint tour with Snoop Dogg, John learned the pleasures of marijuana and the different kinds of the plant. He liked all of them but was partial to Maui Wowwie. It elevated him to new highs and made the sex with his wife that much more delectable.

He slowly exhaled the heavy fumes towards the ceiling, creating a smoky haze on top of the romantic mood. He then turned his attention to his wife, whose legs were being inched apart by her lover. "What do you think, Kris?"

"Right now, I don't give a goddamn." She moaned as her back arched off the floor. Nikki was giving her incredibly delicious pleasure and the last thing Kristal wanted to talk about was her upcoming tour schedule.

Kristal Marshall was Nikki's petite Black counterpart. She kept her body in shape with Pilates and yoga, but never shied away from plastic surgery. It was an open secret within the music industry Kristal had been surgically enhanced. From breast implants to minor liposuction, Kristal was all for going under the knife. It was just a matter of what body part she chose.

She had a beautiful, youthful face, often being confused for someone much younger than her 25 years. Her eyes were a deep, dark brown and just like Nikki's, invited everyone in. Her skin was a light cocoa-brown of supple goodness and seemed to glisten no matter what time of day it was. Her mouth was a small pout of desire with a smile that was equally mesmerizing. She was short in stature and often made up the difference in stiletto boots or four-inch heels.

But it was Kristal's voice that made her mark. For being such a lithe woman, she had the voice of someone twice her size. She won several accolades and awards, setting herself up for a long and illustrious career. Backstage and in interviews, she was notoriously shy and quiet. She once said she had different personalities and they come out depending on who she was around. "When I'm on stage, the Diva comes out," Kristal once boasted.

But it was the Whore that was Nikki's favorite. It was the good girl gone bad who begged to be spanked and tied up that Nikki wet with desire. Before she met Nikki, Kristal wasn't that experienced in bed and only had a few partners. Then, Dave and Nikki introduced her and John to the swinging lifestyle. It was much more than just sharing partners; there were rules—guidelines, even—to be followed:

_Always share._

_Always be discreet._

_Always use protection. _

_Any relationship outside the arrangement was considered to be cheating. _

Since being with Nikki, Kristal became a freak. She became an expert at phone sex and would often call up John after a show with a vibrator buzzing and ready. She often watched porn to study oral techniques. Her favorite sexual experience was when Nikki tied her up to the bed posts and fucked her with a strap-on while John and Dave videotaped the action. Whenever she was in a boring interview, Kristal would think of the memory and instantly smile. It always made people wonder about the twinkle in her eyes.

Nikki stopped licking Kristal so they could grind against each other. Nikki put herself in a pretzel-type position so her legs were crossed over Kristal's body. The women began to gyrate against each other, filling the living room with more moans. The women might have been a little too loud; they were distracting Dave and John from their respective highs.

John passed the joint back to Dave and stared at the women on the floor. His erection was constricting the blood flow and he was eager for the women to hurry up so he could take at least one of them. "Dude, they're about to get off without us," he said flatly. Half of him cared about his wife possibly being too tired to perform for the rest of the night. The other half didn't want her moaning to kill the buzz he was trying to maintain.

Dave took a smoke of the joint and deeply inhaled. He slightly cocked his head to the left as he listened to his wife and her girlfriend reaching their simultaneous orgasms. He then blew out the smoke in rich satisfaction. "Let them." Dave replied. There was something incredible sexy about seeing two women getting each other off, he didn't care how long it took them. He was happy to watch the show.

With a few more grinds, Nikki and Kristal climaxed and they both collapsed on the floor. Dave grinned and looked over to his best friend. "Which one do you want?" he asked.

John was so high, he wasn't sure if he knew his left from his right. He began to play 'Iny, Meny, Miny, Moe' to make his decision. "That one," he pointed to Nikki.

"Sounds good to me." Dave got up and picked Kristal off the floor and headed towards the dining room table.

Nikki cracked her eyes open and glanced up at John hovering over her. "Did you smoke all of my weed?" She asked.

John stuck his hand out and helped Nikki off the floor and onto the couch. "We saved some for you, Princess." He then handed her a freshly-rolled joint.

"Good." Nikki quickly lit her joint and inhaled. She was in a great place in her life at the moment. She just got off and now she was getting high. Life could not have been better for the young 28 year old.

"I heard about the stripper from Bianca's the other night." John casually mentioned.

"Yeah, she was a good one," Nikki agreed.

"Any repeat performances?" John inquired.

Nikki turned towards John and blew the marijuana smoke in his face. "Not a chance, Cena."

"Hey." John raised his hands in defeat. "Just wondering."

"Mmm hmm." Nikki then straddled John's lap. "I think we need to fuck right now, don't we? I think you need to give me a good fucking."

John smiled at the petite beauty grinding in his lap. "What about Dave and Kris?" He asked.

Nikki looked over to her husband and best friend. Dave was licking champagne off Kristal's legs as she moaned breathlessly. Dave continued to kiss up Kristal's thighs until he was met with her heat. He soon parted her folds and began pleasing her to the first of many orgasms.

Nikki slid down John's body and pulled out his hardened shaft. "I think they're doing fine on their own."

-------------------------------------

_This is hell. No, it's not hell. Hell wouldn't be this hungover. _

Nikki spent the majority of her morning bowing down to the porcelain gods in her bathroom. For the past several days she was sick to her stomach, chalking up to the change in weather. But now it was out of control. She couldn't keep anything down and felt like she gained ten pounds in just two weeks.

But it was the denial Nikki was in that was most amazing. Everyone around her suspected the obvious but Nikki was staunch in her belief. She was not pregnant. No way. No how. Not a fat chance in hell. She just had a bad case of food poisoning that just happened to last for several weeks.

Holding his wife's hair back while she continued to heave, Dave couldn't remember the last time he and Nikki used protection. Worse yet, Nikki only used birth control when the mood suited her. "Just go get checked out, Nic," he whispered.

"For what?" Nikki coughed. "So I can be sent home with the 'you're fine, just tired' bullshit like the last few times?" She argued. "No, I'm fine. No doctor's for me, David."

"So I'll make the appointment for today?" He asked.

Nikki glanced up at her husband and wiped her mouth. "You're a dick, you know that?"

"And you're a bitch so we're even." Dave smiled.

--------------------------------------------

Nikki hated doctor's appointments. All she did was wait and read every single magazine of Newsweek, Time, other politically-correct bullshit while the patient-friendly CNN or Fox News played on the monitor. Then there were the snot-nosed kids who had more of a handle on their parents than vice-versa. Lastly, there was the one patient who was an asshole for no other reason than to be an asshole.

But it was nothing compared to the physical before the appointment: the weigh-in to see how much weight she gained; the breast examination to check for cancer; and finally, the quiz over how many sexual partners she's had or any diseases she may have acquired. At first, Nikki's doctor, Chris Irvine, was shocked to see the number of sexual partners increasingly climb with each visit. But once Nikki explained her lifestyle, Chris advised her to strongly incorporate protection, which Nikki always did.

Finally, when Nikki went to see her doctor, she was in the room for all of ten minutes despite waiting close to a damn hour to see him. And for what? A brief look over at her chart history and to schedule a follow-up appointment. _Whoever said PPOs are better are clearly full of shit. _

"My darling Nikki." Chris said as he entered the small room. "How are you doing today?"

"I'll do better once you tell me what the hell is wrong with me." Nikki replied. It was moments like today that made her crave the biggest joint known to man. "I already know what's wrong with me. I just need the antibiotics and be done with it."

"Not so simple, sweetheart," Chris grinned. "you know you're almost six weeks pregnant, right?"

Nikki had mixed emotions. She and Dave had always wanted to start a family and the timing could not have been more perfect. But a baby would cause dramatic changes in the lifestyle Nikki was very accustomed to—and she wasn't sure if she wanted to change so quickly.

Nikki then reacted in the only matter she knew how. "OH HELL NO!"


	6. And So It Begins

Randy Orton had seen it all.

From the groupies offering a two-for-one blow job so they can meet A-list rock star to managers offering him SuperBowl tickets so their artists can get played. From America's Sweetheart having a secret drug problem to the down-low relationship a rap superstar was having with one of his best friends. From the underage sex tape a debut artist made when she was 17 to the incestuous relationships a manager father was having with his own daughter.

He's definitely seen it all. And it was his job to cover it all up before it made its way to headline news.

Standing at over six feet tall with killer baby blues, Randal Keith Orton was the epitome of success at Koch Records. He was a muscular man, shown through the various screen tees and jeans he wore on a daily basis. His aura screamed of sex and often used it to help broker a deal if necessary. He was a man's man and the perfect guy to take home to mother for any lucky girl.

He was also a notorious womanizer whose reputation succeeded him.

He was the A&R head, primarily responsible for making the artists shine. He found the songwriters, producers, and musicians to help develop a new talent's marketability. He was primarily responsible for Kristal's success, which she gladly paid him back with what Randy considered to be one of the best fucks he's ever had.

Yet, his eyes were on the grand prize of Nikki Batista. He knew from the very first luncheon he had with Dave, they were swingers and Randy was down for any action. He's heard of the swinging lifestyle and opted to be a willing participant if need be. Silly of him to expect to be invited to the sexcapades the couple often participated in. Dave never had a reason for not inviting Randy to have sex with Nikki—he personally just didn't want to see it. But it didn't stop Randy of fantasizing Nikki's full lips around his cock during meetings.

"Hey Randy," Nikki said as she approached his office. "Is Dave available?"

"Sure," he motioned to his bosses office, "he's right in there."

"Good," she smiled and proceeded to her husband's office. She stopped and walked back over to Randy. She ruffled her fingers through his hair and gave him a peck on the lips. "Now you look better," she smiled and then left.

Randy shook his head and licked his lips. "That woman doesn't know what's about to hit her…"

--------------------------------

Upon entering Dave's office, Nikki saw him on the phone brokering another business deal. She was proud of her husband. In a few short years, he built Koch Records from the brink of poverty to a record label that was a forced to be reckoned with. Every time an album came out from the Koch Group, it was a guaranteed success—something the record industry had not seen in a long while.

Nikki took her seat in front of Dave's desk and just watched in amazement. He was politely giving an executive on the other end of the phone a nice talking down to. "You know you're not going to be shit without me, right?" Dave asked.

He was so smooth, so calculating, she was in complete awe of him. It just made Nikki fall in love with Dave that much more.

Dave finally hung up the phone and rubbed his forehead. It has been said when a person has creases on their forehead, it was due to age and wisdom. Dave always thought it was due to some jackoff making his life much more difficult than what it needed to be. But his shining star was sitting across from him and to Dave, it was the break he needed. And what better way to let out some steam than to watch his wife blow him off. "What's up, baby?" Dave smiled at her.

Nikki quickly walked over to Dave's desk and landed a hard slap across his face. "You motherfucker!" She screamed.

Nikki's definition of a break was clearly different from Dave's. He grabbed her hands as she tried to resist him. "I hate you!" She yelled.

"Woman, what the hell is your problem?" He asked.

"I'm fucking pregnant, you bastard!" She screamed.

Dave yanked her so she sat on his lap. "Woman, will you calm the fuck down?"

"Calm down? You're not the one carrying a bastard baby!" She sneered.

"Thank you for the pick-me-up," he replied.

Nikki let out a defeated sigh. Having a baby now wasn't in the cards, so to speak. She wanted to travel more and explore what was out there. Once she calmed down and got everything out of her system, only then she would consider having a baby. Instead now she had to watch her diet and completely stop smoking weed altogether for the next 34 weeks of her life.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I just don't know what to do."

"So what do you want to do, Nic?" Dave asked. He knew having a baby wasn't in line with their lifestyle and didn't think either one of them wanted to make the adjustment for a child quite so soon. And if Dave had an inclination of what Nikki was thinking, an abortion wasn't far from the solution.

"I'm not getting an abortion," she stated, "and I'm not going through an adoption, so I guess that leaves the last option."

"This is what you want?"

"Nevermind me, David." Nikki grabbed his large hands and held them within hers. "What do you want?"

Truth to the matter was Dave wanted to have the baby. He wanted to start trying within the first two years of their marriage but put it off so he could expand Koch into a global media company. He was actually happy Nikki was pregnant. It temporarily took the sting off the slap she gave him. "I want us, Nic."

"Alrighty, then. That settles it. I'm having a baby." Nikki then got up and admired her slim figure in a mirror. Pretty soon, her toned abs will give away to a protruding belly and stretch marks. Her size 8 jeans will become size 14, at best.

_Maybe a baby will do some good._

---------------------------------------

After Nikki left, Dave placed a call to his new friend. "She's pregnant."

Melina was in the middle of giving herself a pedicure when Dave surprised her with the news. Their newfound friendship was progressing to an emotionally close relationship, despite the lack of sex. But there was plenty of emotion. Dave often held Melina close to him and didn't shy from holding her hand in public. "Is it yours?" she asked.

Normally, a person would be offended to that question. But Melina had a right to ask it considering the lifestyle Dave and Nikki had. "Yes," he replied.

Melina quickly put the nail polish brush back into the bottle. "I wasn't trying to be offensive, David," she defended.

"I know. It was a valid question and I appreciate the concern. I just thought you should know."

"Thank you for telling me," she tried to hide her disappointment. A baby meant no more friendly lunches or strolls around the park. It also meant the end of the monthly allowance Dave was starting to give her. "So I guess this is it?"

"Not really," Dave rubbed his face, still feeling the effects of the hard slap Nikki gave him, "it might be the beginning of something."


	7. The Secret's Out

_Author's Note: Thank you for all of the reviews! The story has definitely surprised me (well, all of my stories do). Thank you to those who have read and/or reviewed. You totally reek of awesomeness!_

_ This chapter contains strong sexual content._

_----------------------------------------------_

_If she screamed any louder, she was going to burst a lung. _

_Melina threw her head back into the pillows as she prepared for another position. She swore she had enough but her lover wouldn't relent. It was either sheer determination or satisfying his ego, but Dave wasn't just an ordinary lover. He was skillful in bed. Skillful wasn't the proper word to describe it. He was genius. Absolute pure genius. He was meticulous like a surgeon and aggressive like a power-lifter. _

_He was everything Melina wanted and craved. _

_He lifted her body slightly so she was merely resting on her shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her legs and held them together as he thrust hard inside her. _

"_Is this mine, Lina?" He demanded._

"_Fuck yes!" She screamed._

_The intensity he brought to their sessions was never dull or boring. It reminded her how much she loved that man. He was everything she needed and then some. Her body was now beading with sweat but Melina didn't care about that. Her only concern was how soon it was going to take for Dave to get her off. And she was almost there. Almost. A few more strokes and she would be in Orgasm Heaven. _

_Now if she could reach over and turn off the damn alarm clock…._

Melina woke up sweaty and breathless. She wiped her forehead and sure enough, it was damp. She looked towards her left and slammed her hand down on the alarm clock. "I was about to get off, damnit!" She yelled at it.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Melina sat upright in her full-sized bed. She and Dave only made love that one time yet it seemed like the memory was stuck on repeat in her mind. She wanted the memory to repeat in real life but that was not to happen. Dave was treading the thin line between being a _very good _friend and _almost_ lover.

He greeted her with a soft kiss each time they were together and often held her close to his body. There was warmth inside the gentle giant that made Melina feel so protected and secure with him. He asked about her day and often inquired if she needed financial help to fend off her creditors. Dave was beyond just a caring person. It was almost as if he read her soul.

And that was just the beginning of the wonderful qualities about him. From his smooth baritone that guaranteed a masturbation session every phone conversation to the generosity of his bank account, Dave was everything Melina wanted. And he wasn't hers to begin with. If Nikki had her way, he would never be Melina's, period. _His wife is one lucky-ass bitch. _

Melina reached over to her end table and grabbed her cell phone. She checked to see if she had any missed calls. She knew he didn't call her but she was hoping somewhere during her deep sleep, he would. But he didn't and she knew he wouldn't. He was a married executive with a now seven-months-pregnant wife. If she needed him, he was only a phone call and a short drive away.

And Melina's role in Dave's life? That was still subject for discussion.

_Nobody wanna see us together  
But it don't matter no  
'Cause I got you babe  
Nobody wanna see us together  
But it don't matter no_

Melina's face soon lit up upon hearing Akon's "Don't Matter." She quickly flipped open her phone. "Hey Lover..." she purred.

"Hey Princess," Dave replied. He looked at the time on the Mercedes dashboard. It was 9:30 AM. She had class at 10:45 and a manicure appointment shortly after. He knew her when to call her and when to expect her voicemail. "How did you sleep?"

"Alright," she smiled, "I dreamt about us."

"Really?" Dave parked his Mercedes outside of his offices. He then headed up to his corner office. "Was I good?"

She fell back onto the bed and smiled at the exhilarating memory. It wasn't just a dream; her and Dave made passionate love several times on one lucky threesome night. She would hold onto the memory until there was nothing left of it. "You were incredible."

"Oh?" Dave became intrigued. His curiosity was getting the best of him and he was dying to know more. There was something incredibly sexy about Melina's innocence. She would be his sex kitten if the circumstances were different. For now, he would just have to entertain the thought instead. "Did you want to show me how?"

Common sense told her it wasn't wise to have phone sex with a married man. She didn't need a degree to figure that out. But Melina's urges were telling her she needed to concentrate on getting off. And if Dave was really to listen and be an active participant, there was no harm done. "Yeah," she opened her legs slightly and trailed her fingers down to her core. She slowly began to finger herself.

Dave listened intently to her whimpering. He could only imagine seeing her manicured nails brush over her tight snatch while one hand grabbed a breast. Her lips were pursed together and her head was thrown back in ecstasy. Fuck, he wished work wasn't a priority at the moment. His slacks were uncomfortably tightening up and his heart was racing. She was only a short drive away from the office and he could make it to her apartment just in time to give her what she really wanted. To hell with Melina—Dave wanted to go over to her place to get something _he_ really wanted.

"Oh God, Dave…" She whimpered softly over the phone. She worked her fingers over her swollen nub then inserted a finger inside her. "…my pussy is so wet for you, baby."

Dave closed his office door and sat behind his desk. He leaned back into his chair and listened to her soft moans and whimpers. He was tempted to pull out and start stroking right along with her. Despite how exhibitionist he and Nikki were, public displays of masturbation weren't his forte.

So he closed his eyes and imagined her. In his mind, they were on his sofa and she was straddling him. He played with her nub while she eased herself up and down on his shaft. She felt so hot and tight wrapped around his hard cock, it was only a matter of time before she exploded. "David…" Melina breathed endlessly into the phone. "I'm about to cum, baby…"

"Fuck…" Dave muttered as he adjusted his position again.

"David…David….uh…oh my god…oh…"

Any orgasmic mutual feelings had to wait for another time. Just as Dave was listening to Melina's climax, he was rudely interrupted. "Hey Dave, can you listen to Kristal's album…" Randy barged into his office.

"Fuck!" Dave slammed his cell phone close. He blinked a few times to adjust his vision then moved his chair closer to his desk so Randy wouldn't see his poking erection. He leaned against his desk and took a few deep breaths. He could imagine Melina got off without him, calling his name endlessly as she climaxed all over her fingers.

There were days Dave appreciated Randy's anal retentiveness. Today was not one of them. He looked up at him and kept the conversation short and sweet. "What?"

Randy wanted to know what set his boss off so badly in a short time but he already knew the answer. He had walked in on Dave getting a good morning blow job from Nikki one too many times, so he could only imagine what she was doing to him over the phone. "Here's Kris' new album for you to preview." He set the CD on Dave's desk.

"Alright," Dave motioned for Randy's quick exit and he complied. Dave tapped his fingers on the desk contemplating if he should call Melina back or not. He never hung up on her, though there were instances he had to get off the phone quickly because Nikki was calling him or nearby.

Why he was caught up in a fling went past him and he wasn't sure what to do. But whatever his decision was, he needed to make it soon. With a new baby on the way, he couldn't afford to entertain a would-be fling.

_Or could I?_

-----------------------------------------

"Hey Randy," Nikki walked into the Koch offices, "is Dave ready for my doctor's appointment?"

"Oh, I think he is," Randy chuckled, "man, Nic, I don't know what you do to him but he's all sprung on you."

Nikki warmly smiled. Since the pregnancy, Dave has shown more affection towards her than ever, almost to the point of being an annoyance. Yet, their sex sessions didn't falter. Out of safety and concern for the baby, the pair stopped swinging with strangers. They still continued their bi-weekly sessions with John and Kristal. "What are you talking about?"

Randy smirked at his potential conquest. Dave and Nikki shared their lifestyle to a select few and Randy was fortunate enough to know the ins and outs. "Yeah, alright," he played coy, "I see we're playing this game today."

"What game are you talking about?" Nikki was confused.

"Um, weren't you on the phone with Dave just now?" He mentioned.

"No, I wasn't," she shook her head, "stupid me left my phone at home so I just came straight here."

"Oh," Randy's gasped. If it wasn't Nikki on the other end of Dave's phone call, he had an idea who it was. Randy shook his head and just smiled. _Dave is playing with fire. Nikki's gonna kill that bitch when she finds out. _


	8. What Goes Up

_Author's Note: A big shout-out goes to Torque for letting borrow a line of her magnificient Mafia Princess story. If you haven't read her story, I suggest you do! It's great! _

_------------------------------------_

Nikki was surprised. Shocked, even.

As her pregnancy progressed, Nikki thought for sure she would hate it. No more swinging parties. No more getting so wasted she couldn't remember what she did the weekend prior. No more experimenting with the different highs from her favorite relaxant, marijuana. She thought she was going to be a bitch. She thought she was going to make Dave's life a living hell.

Instead, the opposite happened. She relished being pregnant. Upon learning her pregnancy, Nikki made a beeline to Bloomingdale's and splurged on the latest maternity wear. If she was going to gain 40 pounds, she might as well look fashionable.

The moment she felt the baby's movement in her womb, Nikki's perspective on life also changed. The articles on karma sutra were replaced with prenatal care books. XY Jelly was replaced with foot cream for her hurting feet.

But her newfound motherhood didn't have an overall dramatic effect on her sexual cravings. In fact, Nikki was hornier than ever. She studied positions that were best for her and the baby. She loved being on top and Dave had no problem bending her over the bed for doggystyle.

Life was great for Nikki and a new baby was completing the task.

"How's my favorite swinging couple?' Chris greeted.

Nikki rubbed her hands over her growing belly. As much as she loved being pregnant, she couldn't wait to give birth finally. She was starting to become tired easily and she swore her jeans were laughing at her whenever she passed by them. "Better when I'll finally pop it out."

"You're almost there," Chris turned on the ultrasound and rubbed

"Do you want to know? I can tell you." Chris offered.

Nikki and Dave glanced up and nodded at each other, giving the go-ahead. "Yeah!" Nikki beamed.

"A girl," Chris smiled, "you're having a baby girl."

Nikki's face lit up. Memories of her dressing various Cabbage Patch Kids and Barbies came to light. Every Christmas, she always wanted to have a little sister from Santa Claus. When she couldn't get one, Nikki cried and begged her parents to give her a doll stroller.

Nikki was ecstatic about having a baby daughter, but other issues were pressing her mind. "How long will it be before I can have sex again?" she inquired.

"About six to eight weeks, depending on how you heal." Chris answered. "If there's some tearing it could be longer."

"Tearing? Whoa, whoa…" Nikki wasn't ready to hear about anything being torn, especially something she used for power and manipulation.

"Tearing, Nic. Sometimes a woman tears during childbirth. It depends on how bad it is and the woman," he answered again.

"Oh okay," she nodded.

That day, Nikki opted to have a C-section.

---------------------------------------------------

"Shouldn't you be at home with your wife?" Melina asked.

"She's back at work." Dave casually mentioned. "I'm taking an extended lunch."

"I see," she replied. She focused her concentration on Victoria's Secret Pink collection. Melina went through the various G-strings, thongs, and boy short panties. Melina was silly to think something would develop between her and Dave yet a part of her still hoped it would.

Feeling guilty about the sudden disruption in their phone session, Dave took Melina out for an afternoon of shopping. They both knew it was Dave's way of overcompensating what happened earlier but it didn't stop Melina from milking Dave for what he was worth. And according to Melina, Dave was worth about $500 of Victoria's Secret panties.

Meanwhile, the tension was steadily building between the not-so platonic friends. Dave was hoping his death glares would make Melina look up at him, but the opposite happened. "About earlier…"

"Don't apologize for it," she spoke quietly, "I understand."

"You're an amazing woman, Lina."

Melina held up a pair of pink boy shorts to her view. Getting herself involved with a married man was nothing short of amazement. It was just plain stupid. "Oh, I'm amazing alright."

"You're a friend I care about very much, Melina."

"I'm a friend you like to keep secret as long as your psychotic wife doesn't find out."

Dave grabbed Melina's arm and pressed her close to his body. "You agreed to this, remember? I wasn't the only party here."

"I know, I know," she paused as she concentrated on finding her size.

Dave was never good at guessing the female psyche and he was not about to start with his new plaything. "So what's the problem?"

Melina looked at Dave as if he had taken temporary leave of every sense God had blessed him with. She wasn't sure if he was playing her stupid or he really didn't have a grip on what he was doing with his teasing. But all she knew at the moment was Dave appeared to be begging for slap to make his smooth brown skin more pink. "I know you're smarter than to think that, genius."

"We can end this anytime you want, Melina. I'll walk away from this with no questions asked."

"Now the question of the hour is…" she smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. "do you honestly believe the bullshit you just spit out?"

-----------------------------------------------

Discreetly shopping downtown Alpharetta with a bodyguard, Kristal needed to find peace and quiet. She loved John but she sometimes she just wanted to wrangle his neck. She loved his business savvy but she also loathed it. She knew he had her best interest at heart but she also wondered how often John also had visions of the new Madden 2008 dancing in his head.

Before her career took off, she could go into any store and only be hassled by a few fans. Now she was lucky if she could even go to the bathroom in peace. She thought rumors of obsessed fans placing their cell phones under stalls were hysterical until they happened to her. Then the rumors weren't so funny anymore.

"Okay, I only have an hour to get all of my shopping done and get the hell out." Kristal advised the boutique owners. "Can we work with that?" Seeing a unanimous nod from the store employees, Kristal didn't waste any time. "Good, let's go."

They say money and success brings out the true personality of someone. Whoever made that quote was thinking of Kristal Marshall. Her Target and Bargain Bin shopping sprees quickly turned into penchants for Bloomingdale's and La Perla. She quickly traded in her Dodge Neon for a silver Mercedes. And with money to burn, she didn't waste any time.

Trying out a fresh new pair of $150 jeans, Kristal admired herself in the mirror. She knew what looked great on her and what made her lay off the French fries for a while. "I think John might like this one," she whispered quietly, "I'll take it."

"Did you want to try another pair of jeans, Ms. Marshall?" the store owner asked.

Kristal briefly turned around and grabbed the new pair of jeans "Sure, just one…." Her attention was then captured by the interactions between Melina and Dave. If she didn't know any better, she would assume they were a couple. Dave was standing ridiculously close to Melina and she smiled like a proud girlfriend for her man. "...just one second, oh, I don't believe this shit…" she muttered.

"Is there a problem, Mrs. Cena?" Her bodyguard asked.

"Just one second," she got out her cell phone and placed a call to her best friend, "Nikki? Hey, no time for chit-chat, baby girl. Yeah, I'm in Alpharetta. Don't worry about what the hell I'm doing down here. Girl, yeah, Dave's cheating on you with that stripper bitch. What do you think I mean? Girl, I'm staring at the motherfucker right now. He's holding her and shit, smiling like he just got his dick sucked. Yeah, I suggest you get your ass down here and handle your man, Nic. Handle your man."

---------------------------------

"Hey Hunter," Nikki greeted him as she entered Bianca's.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley was the owner of Bianca's. He named the club after an exotic ex-girlfriend who turned him out when he was younger. In ode to her essence, all of the strippers had to be curvaceous and petite. "If it isn't my favorite bitch," Hunter greeted her with a warm hug, "no hubby tonight?"

"This is an alone job," she smiled, "say, is Melina working tonight?"

"Yeah, she should be coming up soon," he motioned towards the stage. He glanced back at Nikki and smiled. "Coming back for seconds?"

_Oh, I'm coming back for seconds, alright. _"You can say that."

"Now coming to the stage for your viewing pleasure is Melina!" The DJ announced to a crowd of hollering and shrieking.

The lights dimmed as Prince's "Scandalous" played overhead. A thick fog of smoke covered the stage as Melina appeared from behind the curtains. She stalked the stage, keeping her eyes straight ahead. She never made contact with the patrons until she knew they were ready for her. And when they were, she gave them a show that guaranteed a quick trip to the men's restroom.

She wore fishnet stockings and black stilettos, a perfect match for her business suit of sorts—a long white shirt, black tie and matching fedora. She walked around the pole, gyrating against it slowly as she made eye contact with one lucky patron. She licked her lips, giving the suggestion she wanted to suck something more that night.

Un-done came one button. Then another. Then another. Finally Melina was exposed. Her nipples glistened with a combination of light sweat and arousal, making them stand at attention. She cupped both breasts in her hands and rubbed them as she mouthed the lyrics to another patron. She then climbed the pole and flipped herself upside down.

Just as Melina stalked her clients, Nikki was actively watching her nemesis from a dark corner. She didn't know what was happening between Melina and Dave but all she knew was it had to come to an end that night. She shared him for one night and Melina should consider herself blessed Nikki was generous that night.

Nikki walked up to the stage and yanked Melina down from the pole, causing the petite brunette to crash down. She grabbed her stomach and whimpered in pain as Nikki hovered over her. "The next time you want to fuck with someone else's husband, make sure he's not mine."


	9. Confessions

"I know everything is a little stressful right now because Kris has a new album coming out and Nic's pregnant. That's why I wanted to keep this on the low," Hunter mentioned, "but Nic can't be fucking up my strippers, man."

Dave gravely nodded as he listened to his good friend. After Nikki's attack on Melina, Hunter and several patrons had to restrain her from pursuing more attacks on the petite beauty. Hunter grabbed Nikki and held her in his office while other dancers and patrons attended to Melina.

"Did she attack anyone else?" Dave asked.

"No, and thank God," Hunter gave a half-smile at the ridiculousness of the situation, "say, just go home and take care of the wifey. Call me tomorrow, alright?"

"Alright, man," Dave left Bianca's and got into his Mercedes as Nikki was wafting for him in the passenger's seat. She continually flipped radio stations to distract her from the ass beating she wanted to give her husband. Dave was lucky Nikki only attacked Melina instead.

Dave glanced over to his wife. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to explain his actions and tell her how much she meant to him and their marriage. For fuck's sake, he named his record company after her, in her honor!

But it was his dishonor to her in a few months that destroyed a relationship most people were envious to watch. Dave could fuck any woman he wanted and better yet, Nikki was right there, cheering him on. Her only quip was she got to the woman first. After that, Dave could do whatever he wanted.

And he took advantage of it. He took Nikki for granted. And just like his wife, Dave knew he was going to pay for his indiscretion for a long time. "Nic, I—"

Nikki didn't want to hear it. She didn't care and she damn sure just wanted to get home. She was already exhausted and the last thing she needed was to hear "I'm Sorry, Please Suck My Dick" speech from her husband. "So how long have you been fucking the stripper bitch?"

"I haven't been with her since that one night," he admitted.

Nikki slightly cocked her head to the left. Dave played her for a fool for Lord knows how long. Now he was playing her again. "And you expect me to believe that shit?"

Dave took a deep breath and rubbed his soul patch. The confrontation at the nightclub was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg as far as Nikki was concerned. She was just getting started and it was going to be a long and drawn-out night. The pair never had simple fights. Name-calling and below the belt digs often played a pivotal role in their disagreements.

And Dave was determined to make the fight as short and simple as possible. Whatever Nikki wanted to know, he would tell her. There was much more at stake now. A new baby on the way and Kristal's release were top priorities and Dave couldn't afford to be distracted. "What's the point of explaining myself when you think everything I'm saying is a lie? We're just friends, Nic. We've been close friends."

There was more to the story he wasn't telling and Nikki knew it. There were other things that weren't being said and if Dave had any sense left in his absent-minded body, he would keep silent. She just couldn't figure out how much more there was. She chose her questions carefully and methodically. A few months ago, she would've yelled and cursed him out until daybreak. But being seven months pregnant and very tired prevented her from pursuing that option.

Just like Dave, she wanted the night to be short and simple as possible. Neither one of them was looking forward to the discussion and they both wanted it over as soon as possible. "Have you bought her shit?"

"No."

Nikki studied her husband's mannerisms. Dave only admitted answers to questions asked, no further explanations given. The innate detective inside Nikki prodded her to ask one final question and make it a good one. She already knew what the answer was and how devastating the confirmation would be if it were true.

But she needed to know for her own sanity. With a heavy heart, she asked. "Have you given her money?'

Dave let out a soft sigh. He clearly misread his wife's emotions. Nikki knew what she was doing by asking that particular question. She was establishing a pattern, a routine, a frequent occurrence.

She was establishing—despite Dave's personal denial—a relationship. No matter how innocent his actions were, there was no way in hell Nikki would understand, especially in her condition. With a solemn nod, Dave answered. "Yes."

Nikki's lungs cried for air as her breath escaped her body. She refocused her attention to the left. If she concentrated on the wall, maybe the tears would stop falling. How dare he ruin a strong marriage built on trust and communication? How could he willingly and knowingly destroy what they had?

When the initial shock faded away, she managed to exhale deeply. She was angry, pissed off, and inexplicably upset. But most of all, Nikki was crushed. His affair with Melina was the all too familiar sign of boredom. He was bored with Nikki and Melina was his new toy. Nikki let out another sigh and wiped her cheeks of any fallen tears.

If there was something Nikki was good at, it was speaking volumes without saying one word. Dave knew she was preparing for something lethal for him. Nikki never fought with her fists but it was her words that would cut a person down to his knees. He briefly closed his eyes in hopes the feelings and scene were part of a bad dream. But it was his wife's subtle sniffles that reminded him it was too real.

The anger was real. The tears were real. The conversations, the tension, the aura of the discussion were real.

Unfortunately, so was Nikki's heartbreak. Dave knew he was in a sinking ship with no safety device. Yet if he could just explain himself, it'll give Nikki a better idea of what he was thinking—if that was all possible. "Nic, I can explain—"

Nikki hurriedly wiped her eyes and cheeks. There was no plausible explanation for Dave's stupidity. But if he was willing to make a fool out of himself again, Nikki was going to let him. "Oh, do tell."

"Melina and I were—and are—close friends, nothing more," he emphasized, "I haven't been with her since that one night."

"But you wanted to be with her again, didn't you?" Nikki interrupted.

Dave couldn't lie to his wife. He wanted Melina more than anything and it was his wedding vows that stopped him form bending her over his office desk. But he never took advantage of the action despite how tempted he was. "Yes."

Nikki tried in vain to hold the tears but they fell against her will. Dave may not have had a physical affair with Melina, but he sure in the hell had an emotional one. And to Nikki, that was worse. If Dave just fucked Melina, Nikki would have a problem with it, no doubt. But Dave was giving something more valuable than any physical connection.

He was giving Melina his time. Nikki's time. Their unborn daughter's time. And that was just completely and inexplicably fucked up.

"…Nikki, I just want to say I never meant to hurt you. You're everything to me and I don't want to lose my family."

Nikki remained silent as Dave continued to speak to her. She kept her fingers crossed in front of her mouth. Her mind was blank. Her soul, empty. Her spirit, lifeless. How could he destroy everything they built for the past five years without a second thought? Was she really everything to him or was he just saying that to cover his ass? What about Koch Records? Did he really name that after her because he was so in awe of her lover or because he wanted to kiss her ass even more?

Right about now, Nikki couldn't tell nor did she care. Her tears and sorrow quickly turned into anger and disbelief. And Dave was about to have it. "Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave…" Nikki finally interrupted him. "Stop it, okay? Just stop, alright?

"I've listened to what you've been saying and for a while I had to agree with you. What you were saying was valid. You needed a change and Melina was there to provide that change. But you broke a cardinal rule, David. You established a relationship outside our marriage. Do I care you fucked my best friend? No, because I was there. Do I care you wanted to see other pussies? No, because I knew about it. But this one, David? You deliberately kept a secret from me.

"You fucked this up, David. Don't even try to deflect this bullshit on me because you damn well know this shit is not my fault. You fucked up, point-the-fuck-blank. If our relationship meant anything to you, you would have never thought about dallying with that stripper bitch. Yeah, you didn't fuck her but you sure wanted to. And guess what? Now you can."

Dave took another deep breath. He wasn't sure what Nikki was implying or suggesting. Was she giving him permission to see Melina? Was she letting him go out with her? Or was she testing him? "What now?" he asked.

Nikki's nostrils flared up and her eyes grew wide. _Is this fool testing me? _"What now? What now? There is no'what now,' motherfucker. We're getting a goddamn divorce!"


	10. Shed So Many Tears

This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Right about now Nikki would be stuffing her mouth with an endless supply of Bon-Bons. Her feet would be up on one of the chaise lounge chairs and she would be yelling at the screen because Sonny did something incredulously stupid on General Hospital.

But she wasn't. If only life was that simple.

Instead she was stuck at her girlfriend's house, curled up in the fetal position. She was supposed to be walking around to get circulation in her veins for the baby. But she didn't feel like it. More so, her heart wouldn't let her.

She thought by filling for divorce, she would no longer care. She hoped her feelings of despair, hurt and anger would subside. After all, the breakup wasn't her fault. Some tried to say Nikki invited the infidelity by being a swinger and for a second she believed that. Maybe it was her doing. Two is plenty there's a crowd. No, crowded wasn't the word. Suffocated was more accurate. So she left.

She left the comfort of her home and began to second-guess if it was a smart idea. She missed being home. She missed admiring the Dulce de Leche candy paint on the walls. It took forever to find the right coloring and shade to coincide with her vision. But the outcome was beautiful. The golden shade glistened when admired at any angle.

It was perfect. Her life was perfect. She had everything she could ever want at her fingertips. And it all crumbled within a few months.

Nikki still wasn't sure how much of it was her fault. There wasn't a doubt Dave's actions played a major part in the destruction of their marriage. But something stirred inside Nikki made her question how much of the marriage collapse was her fault.

A close-knit circle of friends began to take sides with much 'he said, she said' debate. People thought Nikki she was close to became increasingly distant. Her only remaining true friend was Kristal, but even Nikki wondered where her loyalty was.

Some believed Nikki was wrong from the very start, participating in the swinger lifestyle. Others felt Dave willingly destroyed his marriage with his close friendship of sorts with Melina.

And then there was the gossip. The nonstop whispering back and forth. Melina ripped Nikki a new one to anyone who cared to listen. And if it wasn't Melina, it was her friends leading the attack. But the women were cowards, Nikki thought. It was easy to talk hard from a distance. Nikki didn't have to threaten or clown anyone. Her actions spoke of themselves.

So did Melina's hospital bill.

She invited several women into her bed and shared Dave with them all. Dave, in turn, shared Nikki with whatever man or woman she wanted. But at the end of the day, it was all Nikki and Dave. It was them against the world. They were great by themselves but unstoppable as a unit.

Sure they had their fights but what couple didn't. They were crazy passionate about loving each other. They loved each other with such a fiery intensity, a love-making session always guaranteed sleep afterwards.

Now it was gone. Everything. No more phone calls at work just to say, 'I love you.' No more surprise trips across the country for no reason other than 'just because.'

It was the end of an era, Nikki believed. Starting over wasn't an option. She had no choice. She was having a baby any day now. She had to be strong for her daughter, who was going to be born into a world of chaos with Nikki and Dave as Queen and King.

A sudden painful kick reminded Nikki to get up and move. She may be feeling down in the dumps but her daughter wasn't. If it wasn't for Nikki expecting, she would drink herself into oblivion. But the baby was her only saving grace.

No doubt Nikki was the queen of chaos. And her throne was becoming increasingly uncomfortable to sit on.

Nikki was struggling to get up off the couch when Kristal and John came home from a radio interview. While Kristal clearly watched out for her girlfriend, John played his role as Amsterdam and remained neutral to all parties involved. The last thing he needed was more bullshit in his house. "How are you doing, Nic?" he asked as he helped her off the sofa.

"I could be doing better but hey, that's life," Nikki dryly replied.

"How are the contractions?" Kristal asked.

"Too fucking painful," Nikki replied again.

"Well, you are knocked up," Kristal smiled as she reached for her Blackberry.

"No shit, Sherlock," Nikki grinned.

Kristal scrolled through her e-mail and smiled. "Oh, that's nice," she then put her Blackberry away.

"What's nice?"

Kristal shrugged. "Oh, nothing."

"You're not a good liar, Kris," Nikki hinted, "was that Dave?"

"Oh, it wasn't. It was Nitro asking about the afterparty tonight." Kristal informed.

"Oh," Nikki became quiet. Nitro was a new act on Koch Records and him and Nikki had a close bond. He was a slender gay man with a chiseled physique and model looks to match. But once Nikki and Dave separated, Nitro chose his career over his friendship with Nikki, despite pretending to play neutral.

Kristal knew all too well what happened with all of the friendships. Everyone pretended to be neutral but everyone was secretly taking sides. Those who were fearful of their careers immediately sided with Dave, despite his actions. The lines were being drawn deeper and longer every day, to the point Nikki didn't know who was her friend anymore.

Kristal told Nikki from the start that she was neutral and for a while Nikki believed it. Now she wasn't so sure. She secretly began to question Kristal's loyalty to her as well. "Nic, you know I'm still friends with everyone…"

"I know and that's the point, Nic. You're still friends with everyone who betrayed me. Nitro cut me off because he said I kept talking about it. Kinda funny because I didn't say shit to him at all. Then he as the audacity of calling me a manipulative bitch," Nikki shook her head, "real creative from someone who's not known for his originality, Jim Morrision. He bites off more people than he can count, kisses ass so much I'm sure his breath smells like shit, and then wonders why no one pays attention to his ambiguously gay ass.

"And there's Victoria, who just needs to go somewhere and sit down. She's the prime example of someone holding onto a grudge despite apologies being given. She loves to make you think everything's fine but then she'll get all shady and shit. I'm not sure if she's really that retarded to think I'll buy that shit or if she's really that retarded. You confront her about it and she'll come up with the lamest fucking excuses known to man. She hasn't been in contact because her computer has a virus. Yeah, bitch, but does your phone have a cold, too?

"Who else is there? Kelly? Little Miss Kelly Kelly. She was great until she sided with Dave but still wanted to be my friend. I should call her little miss instigator, instead. She needs to be focused on sucking off her husband and taking care of her kids than to be worried about what the fuck I'm doing. Her kids are already fucked up with her as a mother; they shouldn't keep suffering.

"And certainly last but not least, there's Mickie. Her fat-ass needs to join Weight Watchers and get over her sadomasochist obsession than to be concerned why I yanked the cunt off the pole. She's learning how to be a submissive but she needs to learn how to stay away from the fucking buffet table," Nikki took a deep breath, "and then there's you," she motioned to her girlfriend.

"Hey bitch, slow the hell up before you get knocked the fuck down," Kristal warned, "I've had your back since day fucking one so don't go questioning my ass now. You act like I want to be their friend? Baby girl, I know what the fuck they're doing, Nikki. They're staying close to me so they can keep tabs on you. Do I trust Nitro? Girl, I wouldn't buy him life if he were dying! Mickie is too busy doing her own shit and I hardly talk to her ass. Kelly is only an acquaintance and Victoria is a nosy heffa.

"Nic, I know what the fuck they're all doing. I know they're using me so they can spy on you, especially Dave's dumb ass. I know this and you want to know something, Nic? I'm not losing any sleep over it. My life isn't so pathetic that my only form of entertainment is the fucking internet and myspace. I don't give too shits about who's fucking who. I got my own shit going on.

"Baby girl, if people are so miserable they care more about what's going on in your life than you do about theirs, then go ahead and let them. And let me tell you, it fucking kills Dave to see he was not the end all of Nikki Koch's life. And it fucking kills those other aforementioned cunts that you went about your business and left them all alone."

Nikki waddled over to the breakfast bar and leaned against it. Her body was naturally tired from being pregnant but it was her spirit that was exhausted. "It just seems like I can't trust anyone lately. It feels like everyone is against me and I haven't done anything but love my husband," she wiped more tears from her eyes, "it hurts like hell, Kris. It really does."

"Well, I have some good news for everyone involved," John glanced down at his watch and opened the front door, "I have a special surprise for you, Nic."

Nikki wiped her eyes again and straightened out her clothing. John always surprised her with something nice and extravagant in the past. She wondered what he had in store for her this time. "Oh? What is it?" She smiled.

Hiding behind a huge bouquet of fire and ice roses, Dave entered the home. He pulled the roses down from his face and nervously grinned. "Hey Bella,"

Nikki stared at her husband's eyes. She admired John taking the role of peacemaker. He hated seeing his friends fight and wanted to smooth over the situation as amicably possible. But if she had the flexibility, she would reach down and take off one of her shoes to knock John's head with it.


	11. No Such Thing

"What are you doing here?" Nikki asked.

"I came here to see you, Bella," Dave replied, "I've been thinking about you."

Nikki adjusted her stance and folded her arms. "I guess Melina sucking you off wasn't a good enough diversion?"

"Okay, that's our cue to leave, Kris." John said.

"Uh-uh, I'm staying to watch this shit," Kristal sat down on the sofa.

"Kris, leave," Nikki demanded, "I'll call for your assistance to clean up the blood later."

Kristal reluctantly left with John to leave Nikki and Dave alone. Nikki closed her eyes, hoping to calm her emotions. She wasn't happy to see her estranged husband but didn't want him to leave, neither. She hated him, loathe him, despised him. She loved him, cherished him, praised him.

Was that even possible?

It was moments like this that made Nikki crave the biggest joint known to man.

Still, Dave was the father of her unborn child, a forever bond the former lovers would share. There were going to be late-night feedings, baths, and diapers. Next, there were going to be parent-teacher conferences and soccer games. Then there were going to be the broken heart first crushes and scrambles for a last-minute prom dress.

All of that, Nikki could chew. She's been around children all her life and practically raised her goddaughter and godson. It was the serving of weekend visits, child support and potential significant others she needed help swallowing.

"Can we talk, Bella?"

Nikki didn't want to hear anything Dave had to spit. What was there for them to talk about? The fact he lied to her several months? Or how he led her on believing the one-night threesome was just that? He couldn't explain himself, that was the point.

Yet Nikki was curious as to what Dave had to offer for an explanation. He came this far, the very least she could do was hear him out before telling him off again. "Sure, you can talk, " she pointed to the sofa, "I'll listen."

Dave laid the flowers down on the counter and took off his business jacket. He slowly walked over to the sofa; the same walk one would have in a funeral procession. The fact she let him near was an astonishing fact within itself. Now was the difficult part. "Bella, I've been doing a lot of thinking. And yes, I'll finally admit it; I started seeing Melina because she fulfilled a need I wasn't getting from you. She was something fresh and exciting," he paused, waiting for the right words to come to mind, "she was everything I thought I wanted."

Nikki adjusted her position on the counter as she waited for her husband's pregnant pause to end. His thoughts were noble and she gave him brownie points to at least come this far. But she knew there was something else he was purposely not telling her. "So what changed? Her dick-sucking skills aren't up to par? You got bored with her and wanted to fuck someone else? There has to be a reason why you're here."

"I'm here because Melina was everything I wanted," he got up and walked over to his wife, who didn't change her stance, "but you're everything I need."

Nikki wanted to believe him. Sure he regretted his decision now but what about the next time? _If there is a next time. _

"Say something, Bella," he quietly pleaded.

Nikki was mad at herself. She was crying. She never got emotional. Even at her father's funeral, Nikki was known for her stoned face and ice demeanor.

Now she was running the risk of looking like Alice Cooper. She went to wipe her tears but Dave's fingers beat her to them. His smooth, manicured fingers softly wiped her tears as she fell back into his body.

They say home is where the heart is. Dave was home. He was warm and comforting. He was soothing and calm. He was everything Nikki wanted—and needed.

But she needed to be sure. She was going to test Dave one last time. If they both wanted this to work, there had to be one last sacrifice to be made. She turned around and held Dave's hands within hers. "Give up swinging," she whispered, "I don't want to share you with anyone else again."

Dave nodded. "I don't want to share you, either, Bella."

-------------------------------------

Later that day, Nikki moved back in with Dave. The following week, she gave birth to Isabella Michelle. The couple made an effort to work on their broken marriage. Dave began to stay at home more, often conducting business meetings form this home office. Nikki, meanwhile, turned into a stay-at-home mother, hosting dinner parties for other local housewives. On any given day, she could be found at the park, nursing her 'Bella. She had a routine she followed: the gym at 5 AM; Mommy and Me classes at eight; preparing lunch and dinner throughout the day.

It was a routine Nikki knew and became accustomed to. She knew where she needed to be and what time. It was her daily routine.

A routine. A daily, boring routine. Nikki was above and beyond bored.

Between feedings, Nikki flipped through the channels to keep her awake. Having a new baby meant lack of sleep and no time for even the simplest things such as showering. Yet, she managed to find some alone time while 'Bella took another power nap.

Nikki's yawns turned into pique interest as her channel flipping landed on an adult station. She watched with curious eyes as the threesome progressed on the screen. She knew the actress was faking but Nikki never had to. She loved being stuffed in all angles and then some.

She continued to watch the porn in its entirety, resisting the urge to play with herself. When the porn was over, she quietly got up, headed to her bedroom and changed her underwear. She then picked up 'Bella and began nursing her. It was then Nikki realized what she had been missing.

She became a desperate housewife who missed the feeling of another man other than her husband. She also missed swinging a lot more than she realized.

Now was the challenge of convincing Dave to start swinging again, after he made such a sacrifice for her. It would benefit him more than her at the end, she was convinced.

_There's no such thing as monogamy, anyway. _


	12. The Beginning of the End

Whenever Nikki needed to convince Dave of something, there was a method to her madness. First, she made him his favorite meal. Then she gave him a personal bath, using exotic oils and salts. Last, she gave him the best sex session known to man. By the time, Dave could argue with her, he was too exhausted from his many orgasms to put up a fight. Needless to say, the couple did not fight very often.

Tonight was no different. Nikki was destined to pull out all of the stops to get what she wanted. She didn't think Dave would put up too much of a fight. He missed swinging just as much as she did, she believed. It was a no-brainer. But Nikki also didn't want to take any chances.

Entering into his palatial home, Dave knew Nikki was going to ask for something big. Between the sex music playing on the iHome to the tantalizing scents of Nikki's home cooking, he knew she had a big request. One time it was a Mercedes. Another time it was a Tiffany's bracelet. Another time, it was a room addition to their home. And of course, Dave always said yes. After a few times, Dave knew what Nikki was up to but he never bothered to stop her. It was a guaranteed hot sex session at the end of the night.

He kissed Nikki hello and immediately made a beeline for his baby girl, Bella. She had his looks but her mother's fire. Every day, Bella taught him something different about life and Dave greedily drank up the knowledge. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his baby girl and wife.

Almost nothing. "Since I'll probably say yes anyways," he smiled, "just lay it on me now, Bella."

Nikki was surprised by her husband's receptiveness. Her night was only going to get better. "I'm suggesting we should start swinging again," Nikki casually mentioned.

Dave bounced Bella on his lap and made faces at her. Since she was born six months ago, his life turned a complete 180. Gone were his angry and hostile mannerisms. Replaced was gentleness and caring he never knew existed inside of him. It was amazing what a child would do to someone's thinking and way of life. Some either change for the better or worse; Dave was definitely an example of the former. He had no desire to go back to his old lifestyle despite the everyday temptations.

And he wished his wife would have the same mindset. "I don't think so," he replied.

"Now, wait a minute," Nikki gesticulated, "hear me out, Lover..."

"There's no discussion, Nicole," Dave calmly replied, "the answer is no."

Nikki was surprised by her husband's coldness. She thought for sure he would love to go back to swinging. With his sexual taunting during their lovemaking sessions, he often implied how hot it was to watch her and another woman again. Now he was saying no to her? "You're not being fair, David."

"I don't want to go back to that. It was a good time and I'm past it."

"Are you saying no because you don't want to or because you don't want _me_ to do it?"

Nikki was clearly testing Dave's patience and he wondered exactly how much he had left. "I'm curious as to why this is up for debate, Nicole?"

If Nikki was testing her husband, his mannerisms were making it real easy for her to become spiteful. "I'm equally curious as to why you're being an asshole right now," she spat back.

"I'm being an asshole because my wife who wanted me to quit swinging to save our marriage is asking me to go back to it," Dave shook his head and picked up Bella. "I know where this is going and I'm not participating in this."

"We're not done, David," Nikki protested.

"Oh, I think we are."

"Well, you're past swinging," Nikki began, "but what if I'm not?"

Dave breathed a small sigh of frustration. Things were going too well in his life. Kristal's career was reaching undeniable heights. Bella was growing bigger by the day, showing Dave love he never knew existed. His own relationship with Nikki had drastically improved for the better.

So why would everything go to hell? For Dave, it was merely in the cards. "I thought you wanted to stop swinging, Nicole?"

"I did. Now I want to go back," she folded her arms, "I miss it."

"Why?" Dave asked.

"Why? It was fun; exciting," Nikki smiled, "a new person every so often. A new experience. Don't tell me you don't miss that?"

"I don't," he shook his head.

"Well, I do. I want us to go back to our old lifestyle," she smiled.

"I don't," he replied flatly.

"You say that now, but…"

"No," he repeated.

_Okay, this is harder than I thought. _"David…"

"No, Nicole. The answer is no," he repeated with all seriousness in his voice, "things are different now. We have a daughter, we have responsibilities."

"We can find a sitter," Nikki suggested.

Dave glanced up at his wife. "No," he calmly said.

"Will you at least hear me out?"

"You made your point, Nicole," Dave replied, "discussion's over."

"For you, it is!" Nikki snapped, "I'm just getting started, goddmanit. You're using our daughter as a pawn!"

Motherhood was a temporary fix for Nikki and it was evidently clear during the argument she became bored with the current lifestyle. Dave silently cursed himself for being naïve to think Nikki would ease into their new lifestyle without any second thoughts about their past. She had a point, he admitted. Bella was young enough to not know what was happening. But he also had a point. Nikki was now a mother. There were certain things one gives up the moment they become a parent.

Being sexually promiscuous was one of them. "Stop being argumentative, Nicole," he said quietly.

"Stop being a condescending asshole, David," she shot back.

Dave calmly got up and walked over to Nikki, backing her into a corner. If she determined to get her point across, Dave had an equal conviction to match. "I'm going to tell you an answer that is universal in every language: no. Not now, not ever. I'm not going back. Period," he said with a frankness that shook Nikki's core, "end of story."

Nikki Batista never lost a battle and only won wars. Whenever there was a challenge, she was a ready participant. But she battled other people. She challenged other women who detested her. Now it seemed like her husband was taunting her.

There is a saying that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. But whoever made up that saying, obviously never met Nicole Batista.


	13. The Big Payback

_Author's Note: Thank you to all for the reviews. As you can tell, this is not my typical happy-go-lucky romance story. If you feel bad that you don't like Nikki, it's okay. You're not supposed to like her. And it's a guarantee you won't like her within the next few chapters. The next few chapters will be a little long, just to warn you. I'm on a personal deadline to get this story done (since it should've been done last month). There will be an author's note of sorts at the very end of this story to explain why I wrote this story and the significance of it so stay tuned. Let me just say it's a surprise. For those who I've shared the secret with, please keep it on the hush just a little while longer._

_This chapter contains strong sexual content. _

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Like wine, some people get better with age.

When Dave first met Kristal, she was a shy and insecure 19-year-old with thick glasses and braces. She was gangly with her mannerisms and deathly shy around anyone who wasn't her immediate family. But the moment Kristal sang one note, the insecurities dissipated within her soul stirring voice.

As Dave listened to a preview of Kristal's album, he couldn't believe the maturity she had demonstrated. Her songs were filled with so much emotion; it was hard to believe it was 25-year-old singing.

"Beautiful work, Kris," he commented.

Kristal and John breathed a quiet sigh of relief. If Dave did not like how an album sounded, he was known to have the artist re-record the entire work and start afresh. Kristal would know this firsthand. "I'm glad you like it, Dave," she quietly spoke.

"I love it. It's your best work yet."

Comparisons to Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald followed Kristal throughout her career and she was used to it. But Dave, Randy, and John knew there was more to her than a pretty face and a nice voice. Granted, she was the Next Big Thing but to the potential buying public, she was another ho-hum singer. She needed to be different. She needed to be sexy. She needed to be in a class by herself.

Thus began, Kristal's transformation, what Randy considered to be his greatest success story. Gone were the Coke bottled glasses and replaced with colored prescriptive contacts. Her A-cup soon became an ample C-cup. Extensions gave her hair more femininity. Her songs went from sugary sweet to very sensual as did her performances. Her smoky, jazz-filled voice became stronger with more emotion due to the vocal training.

A star was born but the whore was still developing. The biggest transformation was Kristal's sexuality and no one could have been happier than Randy Orton.

Whenever Kristal needed an extra boost on the Billboard charts, she made sure Randy was paid a special visit. Blow jobs, hand jobs, and vibrators were the norm during his important meetings with the A-list singer. He loved bending the petite beauty over his desk and fucking her until she came at least twice.

But while Kristal was a great lover, it was Nikki who Randy wanted and often fantasized about. She was the ultimate grand prize and the only thing stopping him was her husband.

His boss.

The man Randy admired but often fantasized about Dave's fall from grace. If there was one thing Randy wanted more than anything, it was Dave's power and fruition. And he was so close to achieving his dream, it was giving Randy an erection just thinking about it.

When Dave and Nikki briefly separated, Randy definitely kept tabs on the relationship. Dave and Nikki were a passionate couple in all aspects of their relationship, whether it was sexual, financial, or mental. They were each other's equal but they were also competition. There was a constant power struggle in the relationship and it was never clear who was in control, if there was such a thing.

But he also knew the couple too well. They would soon get back together and live in harmony. But they also would soon separate again because one of them fucked up again.

And Randy was taking bets on which one it would be this time around.

"So what now?" Kristal eagerly asked.

"Talk to Orton when he's finishing daydreaming," Dave glanced over at him.

Randy shook his head to wrestle himself from the tantalizing image of Nikki sucking him off. "I'm here. Kris, let's meet in my office," he suggested.

"Alright," Kristal stood up and gave John a kiss good-bye. She then followed Randy to his office. John waited for his wife to leave before he approached his best friend and business partner.

"So how's everything at home?" He asked.

Dave rolled his eyes. He wanted to say he was proud of his wife and daughter. He wanted to shout to the mountains he finally had the lifestyle he never thought he would have. Who would've thought a man who once complained having one woman would be a death sentence would love the idea of monogamy and being a family man. Instead of getting freaky with different women, he tested and teased his wife. Their sex life was already off the hook by itself; a third party just added to the already spicy element.

Their life now was just as spicy as before but not in the way Dave liked or wanted.

He spent most of the past week sleeping in a guest room. Whenever him and Nikki cordially spoke to each other, it soon turned into a screaming match with slammed doors and profanity-laced sentences echoing off the walls. Every action was scrutinized from the way the bread was toasted to how Dave held his own daughter.

Every day was a nightmare. Now he was living it every waking hour and it was stuck on repeat. "Bella is the only thing keeping me sane."

John tried to understand his best friend's plight but he saw the problems coming the moment Dave started his newfound friendship with Melina. He never wanted to keep in contact with any one-nighters yet Melina got Dave so twisted, he couldn't think. Nikki's reaction was natural and understandable. In fact, John was surprised Nikki was so tame about it all.

But the one thing John knew and Dave seemed to forget was Nikki was not a forgiving person. It was just a matter of time before she was going to retaliate against Dave in a manner he would never forget. "Maybe you and Nic need a break from each other, man."

"I'll never see Bella," Dave replied flatly.

"You honestly think Nic would keep Bella away from you?"

Dave stared at his best friend. "We're talking about my wife, right?"

John looked down and conceded. Dave was right. If the pair separated now, there was no telling when Dave would see Bella, if he would ever see her. "Alright, this shit is bringing me down. Let's go out and get a bite to eat."

"Sounds good." Dave followed John out of his office.

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Across the street, Nikki was discreetly waiting in her Mercedes. She glanced at her Cartier watch and checked the time. 11:30 AM. Perfect. Dave always took his lunch around the same time every day. Go at 11:30, come back whenever the mood suited him. He often used the time to have nooners with his wife or interview potential guest stars for their threesome adventures. Nowadays, Dave used the time to mediate from his current home life.

Or lack thereof.

Nikki leaned on the armrest of her car and impatiently waited for Dave to pull out of the parking garage. She knew where he was going and what time he might come back to work. But that wasn't her concern. It was what she was going to do with the time she had while he was away that was driving her nuts and Dave was fucking up her plans by running late.

_Of course, he would. Why wouldn't he?_

Just when Nikki was getting more frustrated, she saw Dave's white Hummer pull out with John riding shotgun in the front seat. _Perfect._ Nikki hurriedly got out of her car and made a beeline to Randy's office. She didn't bother knocking as she walked in on her girlfriend and Randy, who were in mid-act.

"Kris, get the fuck out," Nikki demanded, "I need to talk to Randy."

Kristal was getting ready to ride Randy like a jockey in a horse race before she rudely interrupted. "Now, Nikki?"

"Now. You can speak with him when I'm done." Nicole grabbed her girlfriend off Randy and hastily shoved her out the door. She then turned towards Randy, who was relaxed on the office sofa. His slacks were loose around his ankles and a smirk was creeping on his face.

"You didn't have to be so mean about it, Nic," he whispered.

"Get dressed now," she said, "meet me in David's office."

Randy wasted no time to get dressed and follow Nikki's instructions. When he entered Dave's office, he was pleasantly surprised by Nikki's aggression. Her skirt was hiked up around her waist, sans panties. She was bent over Dave's desk, waiting for Randy's entrance.

Randy didn't have to say two words to realize what was going on. He shut the door behind him and hurriedly over to Nikki. He struggled to free his cock from his slacks but once he did, he pushed Nikki down on the desk and held her neck with his right hand. He entered her hard and sharp, setting a fast pace immediately.

Nikki met Randy's fast pace by bouncing back towards him. She wanted to see what the younger man was all about and didn't want to waste any time. She held onto Dave's desk and gritted her teeth, encouraging Randy to fuck her harder and faster.

But then he surprised her. Randy pulled out, sat Nikki on Dave's desk, and spread her legs. He bent down slightly to inhale her scent. God, she was everything he imagined and more. She was perfect. He wasted no time in tasting her. Wonderful. Her nub bounced gently on his tongue as he kept licking her. But it was Nikki's whimpers and soft moans that was making Randy harder than he was. She was incredible and he was only getting started with her.

He abruptly stopped teasing her and entered her again, spreading her legs wide. He held onto both ankles as he began to thrust harder inside her. Meanwhile, Nikki held onto the edge of Dave's desk. She hadn't been fucked that hard in ages and relished every moment.

As Randy picked up his pace, it was evident a climax was approaching. Randy soon pulled out and shot his load all over Nikki's waist. He then bent down and kissed his newest conquest. His fantasy was everything and then some. On top of it, he fucked her in his boss' office, the ultimate payback.

Nikki, however, had other intentions. She knew Dave had hidden cameras all over his office and there was a 24-hour surveillance. She tilted her head back and winked at the location of one of the hidden cameras. _Gotcha._


	14. Can't Play a Player

"I certainly hope you know what you're doing."

"I do."

"Because it doesn't look like it."

Nikki freshened her makeup as she admired herself in the mirror. Her tryst with Randy breathed new life in her as it also knocked the wind of her at the same time. But now was not the time to relish in her small victory over her husband and most importantly, her sexual freedom. She needed to leave Koch Records before Dave caught wind of her.

But if Nikki wasn't stressed by her actions, her girlfriend most certainly was. "Why are you doing this, Nikki?' Kristal asked.

Nikki glossed over her look one more time in the mirror as she checked her teeth for lipstick smudges. "Doing what?"

"Cut the bullshit act, Nikki," Kristal defiantly shook her head, "you know exactly what the fuck I'm talking about. Why are you doing this?"

Nikki touched up her mascara. "What's it to you?"

"Um, if you and Randy don't work out, I'm fucked, Nicole." Kristal stated.

"There's no me and Randy so don't worry about it, Kris," Nikki straightened out her clothing, "I won't fuck up your career."

"You say that now," the younger woman worried.

Nikki walked over to her girlfriend and sensually kissed her. "I won't do anything that will compromise your relationship with Randal."

"You better not," Kristal pouted.

"I promise I won't," Nikki smiled while she ran her hand through her girlfriend's hair, "what happened between me and Randal was a personal issue. It was just a one-time thing. You won't be affected at all, baby."

Kristal wanted to believe her girlfriend but she knew better. Whatever Nikki had up her sleeves was going to backfire—and in a big way. And Kristal would be there to see the disaster unfold.

_Shit is about to hit the fan. _

_------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Something's different._

The moment Dave returned from lunch, he knew something was different. He couldn't put his finger on it and there were no obvious signs but something was definitely different. It felt different. No, different wasn't the word he was looking for. It was inconsistent. It was disruptive.

Something was definitely amiss.

Dave briefly looked around his office. Everything was still the same. Nothing was moved.His desk was untouched yet, it was clear someone had been there. There was a chill in the room, suspected from the windows that were just opened and closed. He walked over to his desk and sat behind it. Maybe the stress of his home life was finally catching up with Dave. He had been on edge all week and it was clearly showing on his face. _Maybe I'm just seeing things that aren't there,_ he thought as he leaned forward.

Then it hit him. The feeling that something was different wasn't imaginary or make-believe. Something definitely was different.

Contrary to popular belief, not all men were created equal. Specifically, not all women had the same scent. It varied from woman to woman. Dave would know this for a fact. He has tasted and smelled the scent of a variety of different women in his young 40 years, he could easily tell the difference of someone who had been around the world twice and someone who was inexperienced based on her scent and appearance.

But the one scent that Dave knew as well as his own was Nikki's. It was tattooed on his brain and forever etched in his memory. He couldn't describe it. It was sweet with a tinge of musk. It was intoxicating. It was tantalizing. It was smoldering. It was erotic.

It was on his desk.

Dave immediately walked up and headed over to the security office. He had a suspicion on what happened but wanted to be sure.

The security guard, Tazz, greeted Dave at the door. "Good afternoon, Dave! What can I…."

"I want to see who was in my office at lunch," Dave cut him off.

Tazz's smile quickly faded as he soon realized the seriousness of the situation. During the lunch hour, him and a few of the other guards gathered around the screens to watch Randy and Nikki's homemade porn. It wasn't unusual to see sexual acts at Koch Records. However, the men particularly enjoyed seeing Kristal and Nikki together. It was a fantasy that was oft-talked about and copies of the tape were secretly shared amongst the guards.

However, Dave's current demeanor meant other business. Whatever transpired at lunch was without his knowledge and Tazz was almost afraid to let Dave know what really happened. Still, he complied with orders. He rewinded a tape of Dave's office during the lunch hour and Dave anxiously took a seat in front of the monitors. Sure enough, in his office while he was gone, Nikki fucked his very own A&R person. But if that wasn't enough, Nikki winked at the end of the tape. She knew she was being watched. She knew Dave was going to see the tape. Then Dave read her lips.

_Gotcha._

Dave rubbed his soul patch and grinned. It became clear to him Nikki was getting even and what better way to do that than to fuck the very person Dave didn't want her to. "Where's Orton?" Dave quietly asked.

"He said he felt sick and had to go home, sir." Tazz answered.

"After the way he ate my wife's ass, I bet he wasn't feeling well," Dave retorted. He then watched the tape a few more minutes before he realized what happening. She was getting even. She was retaliating. She was doing everything he told her not to.

Dave wasn't mad or angry. If anything, he found Nikki's actions, laughable. _If this is the game she wants to play, I'm going to let her. _ He quickly picked up his cell phone and dialed Nikki on her cell. "Hey Bella! Nothing, Boo, just checking to see how you're doing. Say, do you want to go out to dinner tonight? My treat. Wear something nice and sexy for me, okay? Alright. See you later, baby. " He then flipped up his phone.

Tazz looked at his boss strangely. For someone who just caught his wife screwing his right-hand man, he was surprisingly calm. "Is everything alright?" He cautiously asked.

Dave leaned back in his chair and smiled. If Nikki was teaching Dave a lesson, he was about to serve her with something she would never forget. "Everything will be," he hinted.

_------------------------------_

The last time Dave took Nikki out was before the separation. She remembered the night vividly. They went to a cliff top steakhouse and dined until the restaurant closed. They laughed about everything, talked about anything, had a great time about life. Little did Nikki know that part of Dave's newfound happiness was the time he spent with Melina. _But that stripper bitch is out the picture, isn't she?_

Dave walked behind Nikki and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed the nape of her neck as he inhaled her exhilarating cologne. "You look and smell amazing, Bella."

"Thank you," Nikki smiled, "what brings this special night out?"

"I just wanted to spend a nice and peaceful evening with my wife, that's all," he replied.

"Well, thank you," she replied, "it is greatly appreciated."

"Anything for my Bella," Dave said as the doorbell rang, "the sitter's here. It's time for us to go."

Nikki picked up her purse and jacked and followed Dave to the front door. Her magnificent day turned into a screeching nightmare upon the front door opening, Nikki's jaw dropped as her eyes widened. "What that fuck is this?" she yelled.

Dave walked over to Melina and kissed her temple. He then smiled at his wife. "We needed a sitter for tonight, Bella," he then walked over to Nikki and whispered in her ear, "gotcha."


	15. Plan B

_Author's Note: Thank you to all who have read and/or reviewed. Sorry for the lack of updates. I'm still getting over a cold that just doesn't want to go away_. _I made changes to the myspace page so definitely head over there to check it out! This chapter is dedicated to my girl, Maeggy (who's writing a kick-ass story called Alternatives, btw.) _

_----------------------------------------------------------------_

"…And one more thing about you I could never stand," Nikki started, eyes blazing with contempt and anger, "I always hated that motherfucking Audi. You're a big-ass man, driving a small-ass car. But I guess you have to compensate somewhere with your lack of sex skills, don't you, Dave?"

"I wouldn't be talking about my sex skills, taking the fact when I first met you, you couldn't get me off even when I gave you step-by-step instructions—which you still failed to understand," Dave smirked.

Across the street, John and Kristal were watching the drama unfold as they babysat their goddaughter. If there was one thing John and Kristal were accustomed to, it was the constant fighting between their best friends and lovers. Too many times had Nikki kicked Dave out of their home. Too many times had Nikki threatened to divorce her husband. Too many times Dave was a temporary visitor in the guest room. Expensive furniture was often broken and overturned. Pictures were burned and destroyed.

But the end result was always the same. Dave would bring Nikki some flowers, tell her how sorry he was, and they would have make-up sex. Everything always went back to normal the next day.

But this time was different. The fight was more personal, more scathing, and the twinge of divorce was a sharp undercurrent. Everything was thrown back in each other's faces. And maybe this was the argument that was the last straw.

John cuddled Bella as he walked up to his wife. "Any signs of slowing down?"

Kristal shook her head. "I think you forgot who our friends are."

Their friends never had short fights nor were the resolutions easy and simple. John glanced down at his Cartier. Two hours. Two long and painstaking hours. John could remember there was a time when Dave and Nikki fought so much, other neighbors constantly called the police on the couple for potential domestic violence and disturbing the peace disputes. Now the neighbors ignored the couple's fights and carried on with their daily activities with Dave and Nikki's screaming matches as simple background noise.

"I wonder who's going to leave who this time," Kristal said aloud.

"I'll put my money on Dave," John replied, "I can't see why he would want to stay."

"You're holding the reason," Kristal motioned.

John slowly shook his head as he bounced the small infant in his arms. "She wouldn't be enough. He'll still leave Nikki."

Both Dave and Nikki were at fault, per se. John knew it. Kristal knew it. Randy knew it. Hell, the employees at Koch Records knew it. They had a lifestyle that was bound to catch up with them at some point, sooner or later. It was an open secret. But just as they both were at fault, they also were too stubborn to admit their respective roles in the deterioration of their marriage. Now it became a matter of who was going to leave first. There were more than just the cars, the luxuries, and the home at stake.

There was Bella. The small infant who had no idea what her parents were doing. Her world consisted of feedings and diaper changes. Now she was going to be a key player in that evening's tumultuous episode of Young and the Restless. It was a guarantee neither Dave nor Nikki would make the custody battle easy.

Over at the Batista home, there was a brief moment of silence. To the neighbors and those within the vicinity, it was merely the calm before the storm. After fighting for several hours, emptying numerous boxes of tissue, and still no feasible resolution, there was only one conclusion Nikki and Dave reached. "So do you want to leave now or later?" Nikki asked.

For the first time that night, Dave finally agreed on something with his wife. Their marriage was beyond irreconcilable differences. Now it was a matter of ironing out the intricate details such as visitation and custody arrangements. "I'm not going anywhere," Dave steadfastly replied, "maybe you're forgetting exactly who pays the mortgage on this motherfucker."

Nikki glanced up at the wall and admired it. When she first moved in, she picked out a dark shade of green for the décor. It was her favorite color of two things she prized besides sex: marijuana and money. Her fingers traced one of the various holes in the wall, caused by her throwing anything that wasn't nailed down. Several times she aimed for Dave's head but his reflexes were quicker than what Nikki had expected. "You're kicking me out?" She quietly replied.

"I didn't say that," he responded, "I merely answered your question."

"You know exactly what you were saying, David. Don't even try to play that shit with me, alright?" She finally turned around and folded her arms. "You're actually going to kick me and your baby daughter out in the cold?"

"Bella can stay here, Nicole. But you…" Dave motioned with a finger. "…are leaving tonight."

"Oh, you best believe I'm taking my daughter with me," she angrily replied, "and don't think I won't try to get every fucking dime you have, David."

"With your marijuana habit and being a known slut that's recorded on tape," he suggested, "I like to see you try."

Instinctively, Nikki grabbed a small porcelain vase and threw it at Dave. Unlike the last few times, however, his reflexes weren't that sharp.

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Jail. It was a place not for the weak or timid. Even the hardest person can be broken down in just a matter of minutes. It reeked of urine and alcohol, with a side of vomit. Drug addicts, prostitutes, and rebellious teenagers were the mainstays. And then there were the key players: the barely legal teen who's crying her eyes out because she had one too many margaritas; the street racer who's mad at the world; the prostitute who's upset because she's losing money; and the drug addict, who's shaking because he hasn't had a fix in hours.

And then there was Nicole Batista, dressed impeccable in her Bebe jeans and Prada tank top, complete with Manolo Blahnik heels. Of course, the large defensive wound on her face, didn't help much. _Damn him. _She was too busy staring at her acrylics and debating if she should get them filled to pay attention to anyone else in the large shared cell.

Being arrested was not a good look. Being arrested for domestic violence was quite laughable in her mind. Who would ever believe a 5"2 queen of her stature could beat up her 6"6 husband? Apparently, the police did and that was all that mattered. She tried to go after Dave with a knife and he slapped the taste out of her mouth before she could get close to him.

Nicole was getting ready to make a comfortable resting place of her tiny spot when the guard interrupted her. "Batista, let's go. You made bail," he instructed as he opened the cell.

Nicole wearily got up and followed the guard to the desk. "Who bailed me out?" She questioned.

"Who else?" A deep voice answered Nikki's question.

She looked up at her visitor and smirked. It had to have been a trick in her mind. Why in the hell was he there? "Did he send you?" She asked.

"No," Randy shook his head and walked up to his lover. He tilted her head to the side to examine her bruising cheek before tracing his fingers over her lips. "I came on my own."

"Good," Nikki smiled as she grabbed her items, "now you can leave on your own."

Randy grabbed her arm and Nikki shot him a death glare. "You look so sexy when you're cute."

"What is it, Orton?"

"You can't go home and I have a feeling Kris isn't trying to be your friend right now when she's releasing her album," he began.

"Get to the point, Orton."

"Come with me."

"For?"

"I know you're not as stupid as your husband," he replied.

Nikki wrestled her arm away from her one-time lover. "I can take care of my own, thank you."

"Listen, Ike Turner," he stated again, "if you want to have a fighting chance to see your daughter, I suggest you come home with me."

Nikki contemplated Randy's offer. He was right—there was no way a court would award her custody right now even if she tried. But she wondered what Randy had to gain besides the unlimited amounts of pussy given to him on a nightly basis. Still, Nikki was going to do what she did best—she was going to play the game by her rules. Little did Randy know he was merely going to be stepping-stone to what she really wanted. And what Nikki wanted had nothing to do with Randy, Dave or even Kristal, for that matter. Her eyes were on a bigger prize.

But she had to get through Randy to get that first. _Let the games begin. _"Let's go," she smiled.


	16. Dangerous

_Author's Note: Originally, I wasn't going to finish this story (those on the myspace know the deal), but I feel bad for starting a story and just stopping it cold with no resolution. Too many people do that and I don't want to be known as one of those writers who starts great stories but never finishes them._

_I never quit on a story before and I'm not about to start, especially since my beta, prsweetie, helped me last week with brainstorming and rejuvenating ideas._

_Oh hell…enough babbling…onto the story. _

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Nikki was infuriated, livid even.

Staring out the window, she sipped her morning fix of hot Red Bull and vodka. Normal people enjoyed coffee. Caffeine freaks drank soda and shots of espresso. But Nikki wasn't normal or a freak, at least in the traditional sense.

She was Nikki Batista, a legend in her own mind.

But her legendary status wasn't a concern to her now. She had two important and pressing issues to handle. One of them was getting even with Dave. The other was humiliating and destroying him. Now it was a matter of handling her business. Fucking Randy on Dave's desk did nothing but cause holes in the wall from her throwing loose objects at him.

She needed to bring her husband down to his knees. She needed to rock his world. _But how? That motherfucker is like Teflon._ Nikki found herself pouting as she rested her chin on a hand.

"Good morning, Sunshine," Randy yawned as he entered the breakfast nook.

"Hey Orton," Nikki said without moving her gaze from the window.

Randy walked over to Nikki and kissed her cheek. He took a sniff her concoction and grinned. "Red Bull and vodka? Yes, the breakfast meal of alcoholics."

"Don't start, Orton," she warned.

Randy took the cue and headed back into the kitchen where he began to prepare breakfast. "What's on the agenda today?"

"Destroying Dave's life," Nikki peacefully mentioned.

"So we're going to have fun today?" Randy smiled.

Nikki shook her head. "I can't believe he actually kicked me out of my damn house, Randy. That was my house. Yeah, he paid for it but I spent all my damn time decorating it. If it wasn't for me, that asshole would still be sleeping on a floor mattress and watching TV perched on an egg crate."

Randy chuckled at Nikki's anger. She was right, he silently admitted. "Damn shame," he replied.

"It's a damn shame," Nikki took another sip of her potion before turning her attention towards her temporary lover, "so what's the plan?"

"The plan is for you to go back to sleep after breakfast. You were up all night and you need your rest."

"You weren't complaining about me being up all night when I was blowing you?" Nikki responded.

"Yes, that was nice, but you need to rest up today before your afternoon appointment. You're meeting with a family lawyer about getting Bella back. Dave doesn't have shit on you."

"He has the tape of us fucking," she added.

"So? Us fucking doesn't mean you're a bad mother, Nic,"

"My drug use?"

"Dave doesn't have room to be talking about drug use since he's your main supplier," he replied.

Nikki polished off her Red Bull and vodka. She leaned forward and stared out into the morning sun. She loved mornings; it was her favorite time of day. She could get her morning buzz of sex, alcohol and marijuana before she hit the daily commute. When she had Bella, they always had a little one-on-one time before she pursued other activities during the day.

Now all of that was gone and it was no one's fault but her husband's. Had he not kept in contact with that stripper bitch, everything would be perfect. Instead, Dave had to go test waters when he had everything he could want at home. Nikki felt her breathing becoming sporadic and fists clench tightly.

_Dave's gonna pay…dearly._

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Dave spent the last several hours trying to go back to sleep but his mind was wide awake. Just when he would enter Dreamland, his thoughts jolted him back to reality. A few times he woke up just to sit in bed and stare at the wall. But that didn't help. His view immediately went to a cracked frame picture of their wedding day.

The pair married off St. Tropez, inviting only 30 of their closest friends and family. Four days of non-stop partying and drinking led up to what some referred to as one of the most emotional weddings of the year. Nikki and Dave wrote personal vows declaring their love for each other, with Dave tearing up at times. The wedding capped off with more partying and a night of passionate lovemaking before coming back home.

To reality. The place where Dave was and wanted to escape.

He stared at the picture a tad longer and felt a smile creep on his face. Him and Nikki were at the beach and the picture was taken of them against a waterfall backdrop. The couple was looking down at their rings as their bodies were pressed together. Nikki was stunning in a Vera Wang original couture while Dave sported his Hugo Boss. She had a white flower in her coiffed hair to match her simple chiffon gown. Dave had his white dress shirt partially opened, exposing his muscular chest as he held his petite wife against his body. Immediately, Dave remembered the brief conversation they had while the photo was taken.

"_I'll always protect you, Bella," he whispered to her. _

"_I can protect myself, David," she reminded._

"_I know you can," he kissed her temple, "but I want to protect you always."_

Dave's memory flashed to a screaming match that occurred within a year of the wedding. Coincidentally, it was on their first-year anniversary. Nikki was so heated that she grabbed the picture from the wall, threw it on the ground and began stomping on it. Dave couldn't remember what the fight was about and didn't try to press his memory for details. But the cracked frame would always serve as a memory of the passion they had for each other.

And the non-debated headache they also gave each other.

The alarm went off at 5:30 like it normally did. The alarm reminded him it was time to go to work. It was time to go out and face the public like he did on an everyday basis. It was time for him to forget the events of the past couple of nights and go on about his daily business. He heard the alarm, alright. It was blaring in his ear. But he just ignored it.

But he couldn't ignore her cries. To the average Joe, it was just an infant signaling to be fed and changed. But to Dave, it was Bella begging for her mother.

Dave finally wrestled sleep from his body to focus on his infant daughter. He walked into her nursery and picked her up. Every day she was looking more like Nikki and Dave's guilt began to tug on his heart. How did things become so fucked up in such a rapid fashion? Where did everything go terribly and inexplicably wrong?

Why was Nikki acting out so irrationally? To Dave, the answer was simple and clear to him. It explained everything. But to accuse Nikki of said action now would cause more grief than Dave was willing to put up with. Not only would denials fly out of Nikki's mouth but she would become so invidious in her retaliation to the point of no return. So he decided to keep his opinions to himself. _Everyone's going to find out soon enough. _

For now, Dave needed to concentrate on his baby girl. The one solid joy that never wavered, no matter the current. It was moments like this Dave was grateful for Bella. If it wasn't for her, he had no idea what he would be doing. As he settled by the window to feed her, Dave's mind wandered to where his wife was. He got word she was bailed out by Randy and the news didn't settle with him. He wasn't sure what was going on but with the Terrible Twosome known as Nikki and Randy, things would just progressively get worse.

And that's exactly what I fucking need right now.

"I'm not sure who's more restless—you or Bella," a grinning Melina said to Dave as she entered the nursery. Last night, Melina watched the action unfold from a nearby corner and almost shit her pants when she saw the police cars pull up to his home.

But her worry soon faded into orgasmic exhilaration when she saw Nikki screaming and yelling as she was lead out in handcuffs. She waited until the fracas dissipated until she made her move onto Dave. At first, he wasn't happy to see her but soon calmed down once he realized Melina's intentions were pure.

Melina didn't know what to expect from Dave and sex was the last thing on her mind. Instead, the former lovers cuddled each other throughout the night. Melina provided a need Dave was hungry for and asked no questions. _I can get used to this. _

Dave gave a short grin, the first time his face has formed a smile in well over a week. He was so accustomed to frowning or showing no emotion at all that he almost forgot how to smile. "I think she has me beat," he replied.

Melina walked over to Dave and kneeled in front of him. She caressed Bella's head, moving the infant's hair softly. With Nikki out of the picture, Melina had her sights set on becoming Bella's mother and Dave's new wife. It was just a matter of time before she could finally break him down. "How are you doing?"

Dave shook his head as he looked down at his daughter. His five o'clock shadow made his already tired face age 20 years. Almost immediately his mind began running through everything he needed to get done: searching up lawyers; filing a restraining order; freezing bank accounts, just to get started.

And then there was Melina. Dave wasn't sure what she was doing in his house and didn't know how much longer he wanted to keep her there. But for now, she was fulfilling a need that was purely physical. Becoming emotionally involved with her already caused more trouble than he was comfortable with. "I've had better days."

"Well, let me know if you need anything. I'm here for you and Bella," she smiled.

"Thank you," he said politely, "what are your plans for today?"

"I have class in about a couple of hours and then I'm at the club," Melina said as she continued to stroke Bella's hair, "what time do you have to be at work?"

"I'm taking the day off." Dave shook his head. "I think I need to keep a low profile right now."

"Who's running the company while you're gone?"

"I have people," he answered vaguely. Normally, Randy would run Koch Records in Dave's absence but trusting him was not in the cards at the moment. It was bad enough Randy was boasting in not so many words that he was banging his boss' wife.

But if Nikki was what Randy wanted, Dave wasn't about to contest the newfound relationship. In fact, he supported the new union. It was only a matter of time before Randy was in over his head and Nikki would be back in Dave's arms. He knew his wife too well; he knew what she was capable of.

But what Dave didn't know were the lengths Nikki would go to prove her point. And nothing would be able to prepare him for that.


	17. What You Don't Know Will Kill You

"Thank you for being so cordial about everything."

"Fuck you, where's my daughter?"

Dave sipped his chai tea latte and licked the froth off his lips. "And I spoke too soon."

In the days following the much-publicized incident at their home, Dave extended the olive branch to Nikki. He suggested a local coffee shop they pair used to visit when they first moved to Decatur. The soothing sounds of John Coltrane and Billie Holiday calmed the neurotic couple while they snuggled with each other on one of the many sofas in the shop. On Fridays it was always open-mic night, the same place he discovered a young and once naïve Kristal Marshall. _Good ole days. _

That was five and many light-years ago. He was naïve to think a calm meeting would be tangible between the pair and Nikki quickly reminded him why it never happen anytime soon "Where is she? Is she with that fat-ass cunt?" She asked.

"She's with my mother, Nicole," Dave quietly answered as she got up and began gathering her items, "where are you going?"

"To see my daughter, asshole," she replied.

"I'm only going to say this once," Dave then leaned forward. His patience quickly dissipated as frustration and simmering anger took over his being. "Sit your ass down."

Almost instantly, Dave invoked the fear of God in his wife as Nikki slowly lowered herself in the seat. Dave tapped his fingers on the table and let out a frustrating sigh through his nostrils. If there was someone who was both his virtue and vice, it was Nikki. She could bring him to his knees with her temperament with the same fluidity if she was sucking him off.

At one point, Dave worshipped the ground she walked on. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his Bella. Now getting her committed was at the forefront of his thoughts. "I'm going to make this short and sweet. I'm willing to give you fifteen million right now, no strings. Take whatever you want out of the house and you can keep the Mercedes."

Nikki leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. Dave was being generous—a little too generous. He claimed no strings but she knew there was more to that. A lot more. "What the catch?"

"Give up your rights to Bella."

It started in the pit of her stomach before it traveled through her lungs and finally out of her mouth. Laughter. It was almost a shouting noise as Nikki grabbed her stomach while she kept chuckling. _Is this motherfucker serious?_ After she calmed down, Nikki wiped her eyes and fanned herself with a napkin. "Okay, seriously, what's the catch?"

"I'm not playing around, Nicole," Dave reiterated, "You're an unfit mother." Just before the sting of Nikki's slap could reach his face, Dave grabbed her wrist and held it down to the table. "Do not make this more difficult than what it already is, Nicole. And if you even think about slapping me with your free hand, there will be serious consequences and issues."

Nikki wasn't swayed or daunted. Instead, she played Dave's game. "You are taking my daughter away from me because I'm not sucking your dick anymore, David," Nikki's eyes were ablaze with anger, " and I'm not supposed to make this more difficult than what it is?"

"Nicole, we know the issue at hand."

"Yeah, and it's you being intoxicated by new pussy that you're throwing away everything we've worked for, David."

"I wasn't that ruined this, Nicole," Dave spoke so quietly his voice was barely heard over the cappuccino machines, "you fucked Randy; you put yourself in jail. This shit wasn't my doing."

"And why did I do that, David? Why?" Nikki leaned forward, "I tell you why. Someone had an emotional affair with some two-bit stripper whore when he had everything at home. You wanted to fuck her, right? You wanted to see where things go, right? Well, congratulations, asshole. You most certainly got your wish."

The temperature in the café was at all-time boiling point and it was only winter. Dave felt his breathing become sporadic as he desperately tried to maintain control. "Twenty million and that is my final offer."

_So it's like that, huh? Alright, David. Say good-bye to your life as you know it. _Nikki removed her hand from Dave's grasp and stood up. She walked over to him and kissed his lips. She then whispered in his ear. "I'm only going to say this once: You clearly don't know who you're fucking with."


	18. Bizounce

_Author's Note: Song used is Bizounce by Olivia_

------------------------------------------

_Hmm, I'm not sure if I like this one. Maybe the next one fits better._

While Dave was fending for his life at the coffeehouse, Melina spent a little time rummaging through Nikki's closet. Well, it wasn't really a closet. It was the size of a small boutique. One section had hundreds of pairs of shoes. Another section had jeans from the latest and top designers. The eveningwear consisted of gowns that were Oscar-caliber. Oscar de la Renta, Roberto Cavalli, Anne Klein, Baby Phat and Donna Karan were name stays while Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks were everyday wear.

But if the closet was a candy store, it was nothing compared to the bling. The jewelry that had every color of the rainbow. The pink diamonds emblazoned on a platinum bracelet like strawberry lemonade. The rubies that resembled black cherries and the sapphires that looked like blueberries. There was the million-dollar jewelry; the blinged-out Blackberry with Swavorski crystals; the numerous portfolios of designers sending Nikki their latest creations from Roca Wear and Sean John to Sweet Face and HM.

Melina hit the fucking jackpot.

She spent most of the morning trying on every single piece of jewelry she could find as well as the shoes. The jeans were a little big on her but Melina figured she could always get new pairs, courtesy of her new wealthy boyfriend. Of course, everything fit perfectly like they should have.

Everything was perfect. Nothing could possibly fuck up her day.

Admiring herself in the mirror one last time, Melina smoothed her hands over the red lace teddy with matching Jimmy Choos. At Bianca's, she often had different costumes to wear. Sometimes she was a cop. Other times she was a naughty nurse. Now, she was preparing for the role of a lifetime.

"Hi! I'm Mrs. David Bautista." She smiled at the mirror. "And this is my daughter, Bella."

------------------------------------------------------

"Are you high?"

"No."

"Sure about that? Because only a crackhead would ask a mother to give up custody of her daughter and put a price on it."

Dave solemnly shook his head as he listened to John lecture him over the phone. There wasn't a doubt Dave was stupid to even fathom Nikki would give up custody. Still, he hoped his tactic would scare her straight. Instead, he unleashed something inside her that had a self-inflicted timer. She was planning something. She was up to something. It was matter of making it known to both Dave and Melina, because he knew whatever Nikki was up to was going to affect him the most. _Just fucking great. _

"Dude, are you even listening to me?"

"I'm here, I'm here."

"Your best bet is to reconcile with her and call it a fucking day. Send her roses, call her Bella, get on your hands and knees, fuck her senseless and call it a motherfucking day."

_Easier said than done. _"What if I don't want to?"

"What if you don't want use your balls anymore? That's an option, too."

"John, I'm serious."

"Motherfucker, so am I! Playa, if you think for one minute that Nikki is going to leave well enough alone after you threatened her," John bristled, "you deserve to have your balls chopped."

Dave pulled the Hummer into his home driveway. He exited the truck and opened the front door. "Well, I'll think of something."

"I don't think you have a choice in the matter, man. You need to do something and do it quick, hear me?"

Standing before Dave was Melina in one of Nikki's lingerie. The fire engine red teddy hugged her body tightly and made her more desirable. He bought it specifically for Nikki after she got a raise at work. In turn, Nikki wasted no time showing Dave her appreciation all night.

Now his new plaything was wearing something that not only did not look good on her but she also couldn't fill out the way Nikki did. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll call you back in a minute," Dave quickly hung up and turned his attention towards Melina. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh," Melina had a slight case of forgetfulness and forgot she had on the teddy. "I was upstairs and…"

"Take it off." Dave demanded.

Melina slipped off the Jimmy Choos and pulled the red lace teddy over her head. Before Dave, she stood bare naked and vulnerable. But it was the absence of Dave's arousal and approval that hurt her the most. She thought she was making him forget about Nikki. Instead, she reminded him of her in every way imaginable.

Embarrassment and shame swept her body as Melina felt incredible need to cover up quickly as possible. She grabbed her arm to cover her breasts while she managed to cross her legs to cover her landing strip mound. _That's what I get for trying so damn hard. _"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Dave saw the look of compassion and regret in Melina's eyes and pulled her body close to his. He shook his head as he closed his eyes. It was bad enough he couldn't trust Nikki.

Now he had Melina to deal with.

----------------------

Kristal Marshall was higher than any marijuana mushroom cloud. She was more inebriated than college freshman at their first frat party. She was in heaven.

The release of her latest effort, _Truth Hurts_, shot to the top of the charts with her campaigning female-anthem, _Bizounce_, leading the singles charts. The song was catchy as were all of Kristal's other songs. However, _Bizounce_ was different. Kristal showed her prowlness with her rapid-fire rap delivery while she cooed over a hypnotic slow beat.

_I'm about to bizounce_

_I can't take this shit no more_

_Picture frame broken daddy_

_Cuz I can't trust you_

_I'm riding high now_

_So playa fuck you_

Naturally, it was Nikki's new favorite song.

Sitting across the street in an unmarked car, Nikki nodded her head to the song as she blew out a plume of marijuana smoke. There were certain things she would never get tired of: watching Sonny and Carly on General Hospital, seeing her little Bella smile, and finally, getting high. She had to admit, it didn't have the same effect before she had Bella, but it was still all good to her. It calmed her down and increased her senses. Some of the best sex she's had was when she was stoned out of her mind. She often went to work higher than a kite. It was peaceful and relaxing to Nikki.

But not for long.

_Have ya'll face in another bitch twat_

_Go ahead playa boy, that's how you get shot_

_And I ain't even like that silly figga_

_But I'm hurt and I'm filled up with liquor._

Taking a moment between photo shoots, Kristal hastily picked up her phone the moment Nikki called. Kristal had to keep her distance from her best friend and part-time lover due to her album release. But she was under strict orders from John, Dave and Randy. They all had way too much riding on her album to have her fuck it up because she was worried about her girlfriend. "Where are you?"

"I'm fine, Kris," Nikki assured, "what's up, chica?"

"No, that's not what I asked. Where the fuck are you?"

"And I told you I was fine, damnit," Nikki rolled her eyes as she spoke into the Bluetooth, "shouldn't you be concentrating on your career?"

"My career is fine, Nicole," Kristal said as a makeup artist applied blush. Choosing a next single and making appearances should have been Kristal's primary concern. Instead, worrying about her girlfriend took front and center. "Where are you?"

"I'm back home," Nikki said, "everything's fine now."

"What?" Kristal screamed so loud into the phone, she caused the makeup artist to jump. "What? Nic, what's going on? Nikki, talk to me. Nikki?"

Nikki's face turned demonic as she watched her husband embrace her nemesis. Dave's arms were wrapped around Melina as she stood bare naked in front of him. It was only a matter of time before she kneeled down to service him as well. _Great, I have to burn that teddy. I actually liked that one, too. _

_Fuck the conversation_

_I'm throwin you a letter_

_Keep them platinum credit cards_

_Keep all of your cheddar_

_That shit don't mean nuttin to me_

_Cuz I'm tired of you stressing me._

"Kris, I gotta go. I'll holla atcha later." She then clicked off her Bluetooth and stepped out of her Mercedes. She circled the Hummer a few times, caressing the white candy paint with her fingertips. She surprised Dave with the truck one year as a "Just Because" gift. The Hummer cost a small fortune with all the added bonuses like the shiny rims and deafening sound system. But to Nikki, seeing Dave's face was the big payoff. He thanked her over and over with many orgasms and a nice shiny gift of her own: a matching white Mercedes.

_Messin wit them silly hoes_

_Got me feelin miserable_

_Sleepin wit the enemy_

_Boy you don't wanna fuck with me_

Nikki leaned against the truck briefly as she deeply inhaled, relishing the memories of christening both vehicles. She shook her head as she remembered giving Dave oral as he drove. They went on a road trip to Atlantic City, entertaining the thought of having sex in every state from Georgia to New Jersey. During one of the late-night drives, Nikki boasted she could give Dave head while he drove and he took her on the dare. Nikki only stopped when it became obvious Dave wasn't paying attention to the road as he kept swerving. _He could barely concentrate on the fucking road, _she smiled.

Nikki opened her eyes and walked back to her Mercedes. The endless sexual forays played into her mind as she popped open the trunk and took out a 9 mm handgun. She loved her husband and wanted nothing but the best for him. But he needed to be taught a lesson first. "We had some great times, David," Nikki whispered, "great times."

_Ponderin on if you really feel her_

_Only a man could make a girl a killer_


	19. My All

Nikki lit up a cigarette and admired the Hummer. It was a beautiful vehicle. The white pearl candy paint glistened the truck as 24-inch Asanti rims shined in the Atlanta sunlight. Dave's truck was often featured in car magazines dedicated to customization. He drove the truck with pride, intentionally driving 5 mph slower below the speed limit so everyone saw him. 

Now the truck was a distant memory. 

Any other woman would have ran up to Dave's car, stabbed the tires and hightailed it out of there within a blink of an eye. But that wasn't Nikki. She was a diva. She was legendary. 

And she was one pissed off bitch. 

Puffing on a Newport, Nikki slowly loaded the 9 mm. She cocked the gun and pointed it towards the window as she watched Dave and Melina canoodling in her view. 

"I'm sorry, David," Melina spoke quietly.

"I know," Dave gently caressed her back.. he wasn't sure if her apology was sincere or just for talk she was caught. Still, he accepted her apology for what is was worth—face value. 

"I wanted to surprise you and I…I…" she hesitated, "I guess I fell short." 

"It's alright, 'Lina," he assured, "it's just going to take some time to…"

Then it happened. It sounded like fireworks. Maybe some punk kids around the corner was getting a jumpstart on July 4th festivities. Except it wasn't close to July 4th. In fact, it wasn't close to summer. Spring bloom just began and St. Patrick's Day celebrations were happening throughout the city. 

It definitely wasn't fireworks. It was good, old-fashioned gunfire. Six rounds, at first. A silent pause followed by more gunfire. Within seconds, police were called to Dave's home. But what they found was beyond disturbing and unbelievable. It was a scene of out of a Lifetime movie. 

And it starred Nikki Batista. 

As the cops surrounded Dave's home, Nikki smiled as she was put into handcuffs. It wasn't the first time she got arrested and knowing her, it probably wouldn't be the last time. But her future criminal past didn't matter now. She proved her point loud and clear. 

Dave's Hummer, for a lack of better description, was completely fucked up. The windows were shattered. The tires were blown out, and the engine was smoking. An asymmetrical line of bullets curved the vehicle. A few hours ago, the vehicle was a prized runner for being in DUBS magazine. Now it looked like it was in a shootout with the police. It was completely unsalvageable—just like Nikki's and Dave's relationship.

--------------------------------

Randy Orton had to cover up a lot of shit during his day. It was his job to make his artists look presentable and at the same turn, make his pockets bigger and fatter. His official title was A&R head but it was a cover for his real job: Fixer. 

John Morrison was gay and everyone in the industry knew it. But if Johnny Nitro wanted to sell one more copy of his albums, it was a closely guarded secret as well as his addiction to transsexual prostitutes who knew him on a first-name basis. 

Victoria was the modern-day Ella James with a seductive voice to ride her sensuous melodies. Just like Kristal, Victoria went through the makeovers of all-time. It was partial togive her a new look and an expanding fan base. It was also to hide the fact she sometimes parlayed as a call girl to support her $1000-a-day coke habit. 

Kelly was America's pop princess with her long, blonde hair and bright smile. She sported sexy styles that had parents worried about their young daughters emulating her, but Kelly proved to be harmless to anyone in public. In private, it was a different story. She was a raging whore behind closed doors and ended up with a permanent and deadly reminder of her escapades: HIV. 

Mickie was the country music queen with an 'I don't take shit from anyone' demeanor. She was immediately a favorite in Middle America and sold out concerts everywhere. She was conservative about illegal immigration, gay marriage, and supported the Iraq war. And she was very steadfast in her beliefs just as she was addicted to heroin. 

But there was the queen of chaos herself: Nicole Denise Lindner Koch Batista. She was a bitch and it was an open secret. She never played favorites and was often her own worse enemy. Her reputation was as legendary as her blowjobs. But if she was crossed, there was no telling what her reaction would be. From outing a former friend to her family to selling intimate details of another lover to the highest-bidding tabloid, there was no stopping the crazy train Nicole was on. 

She was the modern day Erica Kane with her multiple marriages and various lovers. She started her life as Nicole Reed, a young girl who didn't know her left from right. Her first short-lived marriage was at 18, fresh out of high school. She was in love while her then-husband was in lust. It lasted less than a blink of an eye. 

Her second short-lived marriage lasted from the time of the 'I Do's' to the next morning at breakfast. It was then Nikki realized marrying someone on a bet wasn't a good look. 

But it was David that Nikki met her match. He was older than her by 10 years chronologically but they were an even match. They brought out the best in each other. They also brought out the worst. They were the modern-day Ike and Tina, with Nikki assuming the role of Ike more times than not. 

It was now Randy's job to fix Nicole. _Yeah fucking right. _

Just like last time, he bailed her out. The first time in jail was easy for Randy to fix. No big deal. Pay off the cops and neighbors and everyone was happy. But the second time was an absolute public relations nightmare. Rumors began floating about what was happening at Koch Records and Nikki's actions and attitude were not helping matters. "Thanks for bailing me out again, kiddo," she smiled as she greeted Randy. 

Randy was in no mood for friendly chitchat. Just like Dave, Randy used every muscle in his body to stop himself from strangling Nikki. "Are you trying to give up your daughter, Nicole?" Randy angrily asked. 

"He had it coming, Randal."

"And you're looking at a good jail sentence for your fucked-up behavior!" He violently shook his head. "Have you lost your fucking mind?"

Nikki lit up another cigarette and blew the smoke in her lover's face. "No," she calmly replied. 

"Nikki, do you not give a fuck about what happened? You're risking everything!"

"Risking everything? Risking what? Please enlighten me." Nikki walked over to a nearby bench and sat down as Randy sat beside her. "Randy, I don't have shit, you hear me? I don't have a goddamn thing anymore. He took my daughter; she stole my life. I could've killed them both and believe me, the opportunity was there. Unless, you've been in a position where you completely lost everything you've worked for, don't give me your shit, alright? Not today, not tomorrow, not on your birthday." 

Randy conceded with her feelings. He knew Nikki's actions were the just the result of being hurt. But he needed to put a stop to her madness before someone was going to get hurt, mainly Nikki herself. "Nikki," Randy began, "I understand you're hurt and all…"

"No, motherfucker," Nikki interrupted with a coldness in her voice and an icy stare in her brown orbs, "you haven't seen me hurt." 


	20. Who's Going to Save Her Soul?

"_And did you hear about what is going on at Koch Records? Somebody call Warner Bros. because that bitch has gone Looney Tunes!"_

"…_and the nomination for crazy-ass bitch award goes to the wife of Koch Records founder, Nikki Batista! What the hell is her problem? Is her girdle too tight?"_

"…_well, at least she's not the Latina Britney Spears, also known as Nikki Batista!" _

"_If my man cheated on me with someone who he obviously downgraded with, I would've killed the ho!"_

It was a public relations nightmare. The gossip bloggers couldn't get enough. Perez Hilton labeled Nikki as "the sexed-up Caliente version of Betty Broderick." Radio DJs mentioned the controversy whenever they spun one of Kristal's records. Entertainment Tonight and The Insider had hour-long specials dedicated to Nikki's wild behavior and past, with psychiatrists giving their expert opinions.

Nikki was also the cover girl of every tabloid magazine from OK! and People magazine to US Weekly and Latina. If Dave, John, and Randy were concerned how they were going to promote Kristal's records, they had plenty of free help given to them.

If anything, the men had Nikki to thank.

Kristal's record sales received an immediate boost and she was getting heavy airplay that rivaled her competition. The other artists from Koch records also benefited from the controversy, milking the hype for what it was worth. Despite the constant and immediately chaos, good definitely came out of the bad.

Or did it?

Sitting at the Renaissance Café, Dave should have been happy things were going well at Koch Records. With a slump in the recording industry, Kristal's success was good news all around. But it came at a heavy price. Once Melina was outed in the newspapers, she was forced into hiding at Dave's home. Bella's temporary residence was at Dave's mother's home, since Nikki's mother was giving paid interviews to anyone who had asked.

Meanwhile, Dave carried on with business as if nothing was going on. He had to. He was embarrassed enough as it was. But it didn't stop the press from talking. It didn't stop women from sending him fan mail and asking Dave to divorce Nikki so he would be free to marry them.

A normal man would be eating up the publicity. A regular guy would love the attention. But Dave was neither normal nor regular. If only he wished he kept his dick in his pants that fateful night. "You know, if you asked me a year ago if I imagined my wife being arrested twice and me having temporary custody of our unplanned daughter, I would've laughed in your face," Dave shook his head as he tasted his Cognac, "what in the hell is God doing to me?"

"I'm kinda curious about that one, myself," John concurred, "man, you must've fucked up something big in one of your past lifetimes because I can't fathom all that shit is happening for no reason."

"Thanks for your voice of reason, man."

"Anytime," John smiled back.

"I just don't understand how all of this shit is happening?"

"I'm sorry?" John raised an eyebrow. He smiled at the thought of his best friend just gave him an open-ended question with many answers to choose from. "You don't understand?"

"I know how I got here, John, that's not what I meant."

"Humor me."

"You never really know someone until they do something surprising, good or bad. Think about it. You never really know someone unless they did something terrific or something horrific."

"Get to the point, man."

"Nic has a temper, everyone knows it. I've known and seen it firsthand from the jump. But for her to react in the manner she did?" Dave shook his head. "I just don't get it."

John nodded in agreement and added his opinion to the discussion. "You two are like thermite," he offered.

Dave's face went blank. "Oh, please inform me, Grissom."

"Rust is harmless by itself and so is aluminum. But if you put them together and add some heat, they create a powerful explosion. The explosion is so powerful and hot, it'll burn through just about anything. That's you and Nicole. You two are thermite. Dave, you always knew about Nikki's temper and you didn't have a problem with it until she turned on you. You knew what she was capable of but you never thought you would feel her wrath. You, my friend, are a complete fucking idiot."

"Stop with the honesty, John."

"No, asshole, I'm just getting started," John wiped his mouth. "You emotionally fucked her over, yeah, she was going to explode. Did you think it was going to be a Bonnie & Clyde shoot-out with your Hummer? Of course not. But you knew she was going to blow up because if you didn't, you wouldn't have tried to keep Melina a secret.

"Playa, you knew what you were doing all along. You knew the moment you called Melina and you knew the moment you took her ass out shopping at Vickie's Secret. Am I justifying Nikki's beyond fucked up behavior? No, but I can see why she did it. And if you think that's it?" He chuckled. "She's just getting started."

Dave listened to what John said. Nikki was a firecracker but Dave knew she was just acting out. He needed to give her space. All he could do was just wait for the sky the clear up. "I need to save my wife, John," he added.

"Your wife needs to save herself first, Dave."


	21. Arrogance

"I quit," Randy promptly walked into Dave's office. He was exacerbated. His face aged 10 years within a matter of weeks. The once faint stubble turned into a light beard. Stress was no longer a word but a lifestyle for Randy. He couldn't remember the last time he got a full night's rest. If Nikki's wild sex didn't keep him up, it was trying to control her behavior outside the bedroom.

Now she was threatening to get worse and Randy had enough. If Kristal began acting like a baby, he fucked her silent. If John threw a diva moment, Randy stroked his ego. Any other artist at Koch Records Randy had no qualms about fixing them. In the beginning, Randy walked around the entertainment company with an air of braggadocio and a smug look planted on his face. He was nailing the boss' wife and everyone knew but never dared to say one word.

But Nikki couldn't be fixed. She was a dangerous animal he couldn't tame. Nikki needed a muzzle and be put to sleep.

Dave was admiring the Decatur sunshine in his corner office when Randy interrupted his enjoyment. According to Dave, Randy informally quit the moment he fucked Nikki on his desk. If that wasn't grounds for termination, Dave didn't know what was. But Dave knew Nikki better than Randy. He also read him like an encyclopedia. Randy could fix anyone and anything, but Nikki was a completely different ballgame and Randy didn't know how to play her. There were no instructions or playbook.

And Dave knew it was a matter of time before Randy came crawling back to him. _Kinda like what he's doing now. _

"I quit trying to fix your wife," Randy dejectedly said, "she's all yours, man."

Dave continued to stare into the Decatur sky. It was a crisp blue; the kind of blue one sees when looking at vacation brochures. It was a soft blue with the clouds perfectly kissing the sky. Many had questioned Dave's decision not to fire Randy upon seeing the infamous sex tape, but Dave knew what he was doing. Keeping Randy on the payroll solidified the old theory of "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.' It was a twisted game of mind fuck and Dave was clearly winning.

Meanwhile Randy stared at the man before him, waiting for a reaction. He was expecting Dave to throw one of his legendary tantrums. Dave once became so angry during a BBQ party that he tossed another executive's expensive jewelry into the pool. Then there was the legend of Dave cursing out John Morrison in front of John's family.

And the story of Dave telling Victoria she was no more than an expensive prostitute who got lucky because she had a great talent that matched her blowjobs. Dave could talk someone down to his or her knees without saying one swear word. If Dave had his way, Randy would've kept waiting for it. Dave felt a smirk growing on his face knowing the one person who thought he had everything, in actuality had nothing.

"Aren't you going to say anything, man?" Randy questioned. "Did you just hear what I…"

"I heard you loud and clear, Orton," Dave said without removing his attention from the view before him.

"Well?"

Dave shrugged. "Is that all?"

_Fucking unbelievable. _"Is that all? Is that all? Nikki's a fucking nutcase and you're asking me if that's all?"

"You know when boys start having sex, our only goal is to dip it into as many women possible," Dave interrupted, "it doesn't matter if they're married, dating, single…Black, White, Latina, Asian…short, round, tall, skinny….it doesn't matter. We want to dip our dicks in whatever we can, however we can.

"And we're forgetting that when we're dipping our dicks in every orifice there is, there's a person attached to it. There are feelings, emotions, and behaviors. And while we might think that, 'Hey, this is a quick fuck and go,' she might not see it that way. She might see it completely different."

Dave turned around and faced his younger nemesis. "You know what you were doing when you kept your face in my wife's puss, Orton. For the past three months, you had no problem "banging the boss' wife." You thought it was funny, didn't you? You thought you can sit around and have a smirk on your face because you finally got one "up" on me. You had a ball because she was playing with yours." Dave smiled. "And if I'm understanding you correctly, you're realizing how difficult Nicole can be. She's passionate in bed—definitely the best fuck I've ever had and I've had my share. But she's wild animal. She can't be tamed. Now you're having problems and you want me to solve them?" His smile grew wider as he walked up to the younger man. "Have you lost your motherfucking mind?"

--

Many young women would have killed to be in her position. An attractive boyfriend, a beautiful mansion, and access to wealth at her fingertips whenever she wanted. Working wasn't an option and staying at home was almost mandatory. A maid came once a week to clean the home and there was a chef on call for special occasions. If an outfit was desired, the designers sent their fashion books to the home address or made personal on-call visits. To many women, it was the perfect scenario.

For Melina, it was anything but.

She should have been having the time of her life. She should've been milking the controversy for what it was worth, granting million-dollar interviews. She was already receiving offers from Playboy and other adult magazine publications. She should have been enjoying her life.

She should have been.

Instead, she was at Dave's home under strict orders not to leave at any given time. If Melina wanted fresh air, she better open a window. If she wanted to take a walk, there was the treadmill to use at her convenience. But she was to never leave the home—ever. And she unwillingly obliged.

Melina wanted to please Dave so bad, she would've drank his bath water if it was edible. She freshened up on her etiquette and grammar. She wanted to present herself as classy, educated and desirable to not just Dave, but anyone. As much as Melina hated Nikki, she secretly envied her. She was beautiful, intelligent, classy, and had an air about her that made her stand out. Nikki could have any man—and woman, for that matter—just by a simple wink and sparkle in her eyes.

If Melina wanted to keep Dave, she had to become Nikki; a younger and sexier version of her. _But how? _Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the front door open and footsteps on the hardwood floor. She quickly rushed downstairs. "Dave! Oh baby! I missed….what are you doing here?" she asked.

Nikki took off her sunglasses and poured herself a drink at the bar. "I think we need to have a little chit-chat."


	22. Gettin' in the Way

Dave Batista was a man of mystery. Just when one thought he would turn left, Dave always turned right. Instead of doing X, he always did Y. To everyone else, his actions were illogical and incomprehensible. To Dave, however, his actions made perfect sense to him and that's all that mattered. He never had a Plan B and always fought hard to make sure Plan A worked.

When Randy was dallying with Nikki everywhere, it bothered Dave a great deal. But to show anger would be irresponsible and dangerous. Instead, Dave took out his frustration every night on Melina through various sex acts. The more orgasms she had, the better his ego was satisfied.

But Dave never showed any emotion whatsoever and Randy had just about enough. He could read and fix anyone and anything. Dave was an enigma even Houdini couldn't figure out. Randy was expecting anything and everything to happen to him as a result of sleeping with Nikki, but nothing of the sort came about. Yet, it didn't mean Randy was off scot-free. In Randy's mind, the punishment from Dave was just beginning. "So when do you want me to clean out my office?"

Dave softly gesticulated. "It's up to you, Orton. If you quit, it's your choice."

It was a power play move by Dave and Randy spotted it. If Randy stayed, Dave won. If Randy left, Dave won. Randy was a guaranteed loser either way. "You're not going to fire me?"

Dave shrugged. Firing Randy would've been the easiest solution for everyone involved. Randy played his role carefully the entire time he was messing around with Nikki because he knew no one else could do his job. Still, it didn't stop the murmurs for what else Dave had in store for him. "You're the best A&R person this label has seen in a long while. I would be silly to fire you."

"But after everything that's happened?" Randy was still in disbelief. "You're not going to kick my ass?"

"Dealing with my wife was punishment enough for you and trust me," Dave gave a diabolical smile, "you'll be feeling those side effects for a while."

"So what's next?" Randy asked. "That's it?"

"Unless you want it to be more?" Dave responded with an annoyed look.

Randy swallowed hard as Dave stood just inches away from him. If Dave wasn't going to fire him, there was a harsh tongue-lashing ahead. "I guess sorry isn't going to cut it?"

"Orton, I can curse and throw you out of the window, which does make my dick hard just thinking about it," Dave sinisterly smiled as he walked back to his office chair and sat in it, "but I think Nikki putting you through hell was and is punishment enough."

Randy stood up and headed out of Dave's office. "I'll update you later on the artists."

"That's what I thought." Dave swirled his office chair around and faced sunny Decatur. He let out a deep sigh of relief and began plotting his next move. Randy was taken care of. John and Kristal were doing their own thing. Nikki will be dealt with shortly.

Now there was the issue of Melina.

--

World War III was boiling at the Batista home. Nikki looked orgasmic as she enjoyed her cocktail while Melina could not have been tenser. Unlike her estranged husband, Nikki always showed her cards. It didn't matter if she had a full house or merely playing with a couple of pairs. She never hid her emotions and proudly wore them.

Coincidentally—or not—Victoria's breakthrough hit, "Gettin' In the Way," played softly in the background and Nikki found herself humming a little to the song. Within a year, her once fabulous life had turned into a soap opera. And Nikki was sure she didn't want to continue in the starring role for another season.

_Sister girl  
I know you don't understand  
But you goin have to understand he's my man now  
What you had is gone  
I think it's sweet  
It's stronger than any lie you can tell on me  
He knows my heart and that's the part  
Yo roots are dug up  
So you might as well give up  
I see your intentions  
You can't handle the truth  
He let you go a long time ago  
Now it's time to turn him loose_

Melina felt she worked too hard to get what she wanted. Dave was hers and that was it. Everyone knew. The press. The tabloids. The street gossip. Her friends. His friends. Their respective families. Even Bella was starting to respond to her a little more. No one was going to come in and disrupt what she had. No one.

Not even the infamous and ubiquitous Nikki Batista.

"I'm calling the police," Melina said as she walked towards the kitchen phone.

"Go ahead and call them, if you must," Nikki replied as she admired her manicure, "but you'll be dead by the time they get here."

_suga honey girl fly fly away  
I been a lady up to now don't know how much more I can take  
Queens shouldn't swing if you know what I mean  
But I'm bout to take my earrings off get me some Vaseline_

_(You betta go on get out my face girl you betta chill)  
Chill and I mean it  
_

Melina's feet soon became cement blocks as she stopped cold. She then realized who was in her kitchen. It wasn't just some crazy broad off the street. It wasn't the typical jealous female she was used to dealing with. It wasn't some chick making phone call threats at 2 AM to follow them up with nothing. It was Nicole Batista. The same woman who shot up her husband's prized Hummer instead of killing him. The same woman who wasn't afraid of a little jail time.

The same woman, if Melina dared to think it, she wanted to be.

Melina slowly turned around and took a few steps towards Nikki, who was smiling wickedly at her. Nikki had a confidence that was beyond intimidating or even annoying. It was incredibly sexy. Melina couldn't decide if she was angry at her nemesis or wanted to make love to her again. She quickly decided to take the safe route. "You have exactly five minutes and then you get the hell out."

"Now that I've seen your brain has started to function properly," Nikki took out a cigarette and lit it, "sit your ass down."

Melina remained defiant. "I prefer standing thank you very much."

"Suit yourself," Nikki propped her Christian Laboutins on the breakfast bar. "Doesn't bother me none."

"Why are you here, Nicole?"

Nikki tilted her head and blew a plume of cigarette smoke towards Melina's direction. "You know, I had the exact same thought about you."

"Oh, you know why I'm here."

"Yes, and you know why I'm here."

"I know you're not here to go around and around in circles with me because it's getting you nowhere."

"Nah, I'm not here for that, baby." Nikki took a sip of the Crown Royal and swirled in her mouth. "But there is another reason why I'm here."

"And what's that? To get Dave back? Because that's not happening. He's my man now."

"According to who? I'll bet if you tell Dave that he'll beg to differ." Nikki smiled. "Sweetheart, if I wanted that motherfucker back, it wouldn't be an argument. I would be blowing him right now. But I am here for another reason." Nikki then got up and walked over to Melina.

Melina began walking backwards. Her mind was in a state of flurry and she desperately tried to grab a hold of anything that wasn't nailed down to protect herself. But Nikki came at her like a Mack truck and Melina felt weak. Whatever Nikki's intention was, Melina was about to feel every inch of it. "Bella's not here," she offered.

"I know where my daughter is, Melina."

"Why are you here?" Melina soon found herself trapped against a wall. Nikki shot stares into Melina's eyes, almost making the young beauty sweat with intimidation. "If you're not going to kill me, what's your purpose here?"

"This," Nikki then lifted Melina's lips to hers and kissed her. "To fuck with your head."

_(You betta back down before you get smacked down you betta chill)_


	23. The Beginning to the End, Part I

_Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in posting. Real life took over and now things are settling down so I can finally update more than every other decade. For those are still with the story, I apologize. For those who are new to the story, here's an update. _

_This story is finally winding down so the next couple or so chapters will be in flashback form to when Dave and Nikki first met, leading up to the very surprising ending in store. _

_--_

_Whoduni was right. The freaks do come out at night. _

Dave Batista contemplated how long it would take him to get drunk off his ass. He was already on his second Remy Martin and it wasn't hitting him strong or soon enough. He secretly wanted to kick his best friend's ass from dragging him out of the house. He was a busy man with a fledging entertainment company he was trying to get off the ground. Being at a club wasn't his idea of fun. In fact, according to Dave, it was wasting his damn time and money.

Looking down at the half-empty glass of cognac, Dave just knew it was going to be a long night.

He wasn't a fan of bars and nightclubs. He had been to his share and found the same people at each hot spot: the hussies ready to go home with someone that night without knowing their last name. The pretend ballers flashing cubic zirconias pretending they were diamonds to manipulate someone naïve enough. The old men trying to recapture their past and failing badly. The women wearing clothing that were too damn small for their bodies. It was the same story, no matter what day of the week.

And he was there.

"John, I'm so kicking your ass tonight." Dave muttered.

"Dude, why?" John said as he entertained a petite beauty on his lap.

"Why?" Dave repeated in disgust. _Is this motherfucker serious?_ He looked around at the night club and saw the fuckery from the opening door to the middle of the dance floor. It was a big serving of hot ghetto mess with a dash of 'Take Me Now, Lord.' It was no wonder Dave resorted to hiring escorts to get off on a regular basis. "Um, are you not seeing what I'm seeing?"

"Dude, I'm seeing nothing but pussycat all around us and you're complaining?" John shook his head. "Man, you are a stuck up bitch."

"I'm a stuck up bitch with more morals than some of these whores in here," he huffed.

The petite beauty cleared her throat. "Um, excuse me?"

"I said some, Kris. Not referring to you," Dave mentioned.

"Thank you, David." Kristal Marshall smiled.

"Dude, the music is slamming, the chicks are hot and you're over here in VIP crying like a little bitch." John complained. "Go out and get some pussy, for fuck's sakes."

"Oh, and can you get me a refill while you're at it?" Kristal handed Dave her glass.

Dave reluctantly grabbed Kristal's glass and headed over to the bar. "I might come back," he began to walk off.

"Yeah, and bring back a Heineken!" John shouted.

--

She was on fire. Nothing but fire. She had an ass that didn't stop shaking moments after she stopped walking. The slinky purple dress hugged her body in every nook and curve while her eyes had the smoky, exotic look that screamed of 'You know you want to fuck me.' And her breasts were creamy caramel concoctions of pure delight with nipples waiting to be pleasured.

And she was going to be his that night.

At the bar, a young man approached an attractive woman. The man was playing a game with his friends on who could score the most numbers that night and so far he was winning with 12. The beauty at the bar was going to be his lucky number 13. "Hey Baby, what's your number?" He whispered in her ear.

"1-900-FUCK-OFF and if you waste one more second of my goddamn time, I swear to God, I will cut off your balls, put them in a blender and force feed them to you as I take a rusty knife to your pinky dick," the woman sharply turned towards the man, "Comprende, motherfucker?"

The man quickly backed away and took off before he had time to digest what the woman had said. Meanwhile, the woman continued with her champagne. "Thank you, Lord Jesus."

"He's not here."

The woman rolled her eyes. _Another dick?_ Just when she was finished telling off one guy, another was waiting in the wings. _Just my lucky fucking day. _"He's always here. You just don't see Him."

"I'm sure that poor guy you just threatened wasn't Him."

_Alright, I need to make this quick. _"And I believe now he's sure of it, too."

The man was persistent. "What are you drinking?"

The woman wasn't impressed. How many pickup lines was she going to get that night? Too many to count and care about, that was for damn sure. For her, it wasn't so much she was hit on all the time. She loved the attention. She was hit on all the time by the same losers and they all had the exact same MO: had a mouth full of bling but no savings in the bank. Flossed the latest rims but worked two jobs. _And now there's another one I have to worry about. Just fucking great. _"Something you're not buying."

"Are you always this apprehensive?"

"Are you always this annoying?"

The man stuck out his hand. "David Batista."

The woman noticed the man's hand was out but didn't bother to shake it. She also didn't turn her face towards him. "Nikki Lindner," she continued on with her drink.

"You're almost done with your weak-ass drink. Let me buy you another."

"My drink is hardly weak, but your game sure is."

"I'm not trying to spit any game at you, sweetheart," Dave laid a twenty down on the table and signaled to the bartender that he covered Nikki's drink. He then whispered in her ears, "I don't need to pay for it."

"Anytime a man buys a woman a drink, he's only thinking of pussy. You're using the drink as a down payment for condoms later on, asshole," Nikki stated, "I'm capable of buying my own drinks, thank you very much."

"Just like you're capable of buying those knock-off Choos you're wearing."

Nikki stopped nursing her vino and contemplated how badly she wanted to get kicked out of the bar that night. It wouldn't be her first time nor would it be the last. Taking another sip of the Merlot, she swirled it around in her mouth. She needed a last taste of something delightful other than the usual concoction of her own sweat and blood.

Nikki sighed and slowly turned around. She found herself pleasantly surprised. He didn't smell like weed, booze, or look like he just woke up and threw on a tee-shirt. There, in her face, was probably the finest motherfucker she's seen in a long damn while. Sharp, ebony hair. Blinding white teeth. Smooth almond skin. Clean cut and sharply dressed in head-to- toe white with Now-n-Later alligator loafers. And his cologne was nothing short of panty-wetting.

And he was bugging her…


	24. The Beginning to the End, Part II

_Author's Note: So remember when I said it was a three-part ending? Yeah, I lied. It'll be longer than three parts…just not sure how much longer. Thanks to all who sent me well wishes (if you don't know what I'm talking about, check out my profile page). I have to admit, I officially taken a hiatus from planning…I'm starting to dream about Jordan almonds._

_Enough babbling…onto the story…_

------------------------------

Nicole Lindner wasn't just any bitch. She was THAT BITCH.

She was the type to go into a designer store and drop ten bills without even looking at the price tag.

She always paid for the check without looking at the receipt first. She didn't have to.

She spent money like water but always had just enough in her account at all times.

She had that swagger. The confidence that was so overwhelming, it made other women want to be like her and get to know her even more. But Nikki was a woman who had few friends and many enemies. But it wasn't to say she didn't like it like that. The tighter her circle, the fewer problems presented themselves. The more enemies she had, the more free publicity garnered.

After all, to be hated is to be loved in Nikki's mind. She was the Machiavellian Princess.

She came to the club by herself that night. Having a hard day at work, all Nikki wanted was to get drunk and forget about her troubles. There was nothing more irresistible than a man who had confidence. Not just any confidence. Rich, buttery soul smoothness. Not all men have it. Not all women want it. But there was something about Dave Batista that was captivating. But Nikki wasn't focused on his looks or confidence. She didn't give a damn about neither. She was so used to scaring men off with her brash demeanor, she found herself stumbling and stuck when Dave wouldn't remove himself from her presence.

"Listen, you have exactly five seconds to get the hell out of my face before I…"

Dave stepped up to the petite beauty. "Before you what?"

_Is this motherfucker seriously challenging me? _Nikki softly nodded to the drink in her hand. "Dare me to throw this drink in your face."

He called her bluff. "You wouldn't do that."

"You wanna bet?"

"Knowing you, that drink probably has all the top-shelf labels in it," Dave's swagger was undeniable to Nikki, "you're not going to waste it on me."

"You don't know that."

Dave shook his head in defiance. "And risk getting kicked out of the club?"

"There are others I can go to," she responded.

"Oh, there's plenty of clubs you can go to," he agreed, "I can just make sure you don't get into any of them."

Nikki rested her hands on her hips and stood up straight. "You don't own a goddamn thing."

"You don't know that." Dave defied her.

Nikki closed her eyes. Why was she arguing with some asshole whose name she forgotten already? "I'm such a good mood, I'm going to do you a favor," she picked up her Chloe clutch. "Bye!"

"I'll see you later, Ms. Lindner."

"In your dreams, asshole," Nikki repeated.

----------------------

Dave returned to the VIP section with the drinks in tow. He had a smug grin on his face, the kind one has when they won a victory of some sort.

"What's up with you, man?" John asked.

Dave handed John his beer. He laid back against the plush sofa and sighed. "I just met my wife."

-----------------------

_I can't believe that motherfucker got to me. No man ever gets to me and this asshole had the fucking audacity to step up to me like he knew my ass. Fuck him! Low worth, no having motherfucker. Probably doesn't own shit, anyways. _

If Nikki was trying out for the next NASCAR race, the 405 freeway was her playground. She took quick puffs on her Newport as she raced home back to her apartment. In her mind, everyone was driving too slow despite the fact Nikki was coasting at 90 mph. But she didn't care. She had to get away from the club as soon as possible. Death was not a consideration in her mind or even a slight afterthought. She just needed to be away from the club and definitely away from the asshole named Dave Batista.

She walked into her apartment and slammed the door behind her. For someone who never lost her cool, she found herself intrigued about the mystery man who chased her out of a club. An asshole, yes. But an attractive asshole, that was for damn sure.

_So why is he still on my mind?_

_------------------------------------_

7 AM was just too damn early.

Sunday mornings after clubbing were meant for two things: sleep and curing a hangover. If Nikki found herself in bed with someone else, she quickly crept out before daylight broke. Instead, she was at home, staring at the creeping sunlight. She was never up at 7 AM. That was just unheard of. The earliest she woke up was at 7:30, despite needing to be at work at 7:45. But she was wide awake at 7 AM and it bothered her why.

She was thinking about him. The asshole from the night before. The tall, smooth, and gorgeous tall glass of water. His demeanor was smooth as buttercream and his presence made her cross her legs because of the yearning sensation forming between her thighs. _What the fuck? _She shook her head. If she stopped thinking about him, her body would stop craving him. If she told herself that enough times, it would be true, right?

Nikki's staring into the daze came to a crashing halt by the "Material Girl" ring tone. She wasn't a Madonna fan but had to admit the ring tone fit her perfectly "Hello?" Her raspy voice answered.

"Where were you last night? I was waiting for at the club all night and you stood my ass up!" Kristal Marshall exclaimed.

"I was there but I left," Nikki's mind drifted to her encounter with Dave at the bar, "too many assholes."

"You should've stayed, Nic! I found the perfect guy for you!"

Nikki heard this before. Her best friend and sometimes sex partner was more interested in seeing Nicole happy with someone than concentrating on her fledging singing career. It was thoughtful yet a tad on the annoying side at the same time/ "I'm sure you did."

"I did! He's smart, rich, and very single!"

"And let me guess…he's very gay at the same time?"

"I'm not playing, Nic! You should've stayed! I think I found a great guy for you."

"Well, maybe next time, baby."

"I guess so," Kristal shrugged.

Nikki reached over and picked up her pack of cigarettes. "What was his name anyways?" She stuck one in her mouth and attempted to light it. "Like I would remember it later, you know…"

"Dave."

Nikki immediately shot up in bed as the cigarette fell out of her mouth. _Noooo…it can't be! _"Is…is his last name Batista?"

"Yeah! How did you know?"

"Lucky guess…"


	25. The Beginning to the End, Part III

She was running late. Not fashionably late but the standard CP or Colored People time. She would show up when she was damn good and ready, despite the fact her destination was the trendiest nightclub and bar. It took her a blind date to get into the place she was trying to weasel her way in for months.

And she was keeping him waiting. Nectar was a popular and upscale restaurant in Atlanta. Vibrant with rich color such as tangerine, plum grape, and cranberry that decorated the walls. Belly dancers entertained guests as they snacked on delicious food such as cinnamon apple and brie sandwiches, chocolate fondue stations, and the finest champagne from the country. It was the hot spot of hot spots and anyone who was even a tad important always had a seat there.

Dave owned the club.

He was trying to get his record label started off the ground. He had a couple acts signed and was in the process of marketing them. He was acting as both CEO and A&R while trying to steady his position as a club promoter and owner. The last time he slept was a distant memory. Yet, sleep wasn't a concern on his mind. He was preoccupied on making a good impression on someone he already deemed as his next ex-wife. She was above and beyond fashionably late. She was trying his patience. But he waited for her. He knew she would show up. He knew she would be impressed.

Dave knew he had something she wanted.

Still, his date was into game playing and game playing he was going to get. He wanted a good cat-and-mouse chase and it had been a while since a woman of Nicole's stature had captured Dave's attention longer than a minute. Anyone can make his dick hard; not everyone could make him want to see them again.

A member of Dave's security team approached him to let know him Nikki had arrived. Two hours and a few shots of Patron later, she decided to grace him with her presence. He noticed her standing in front of the club wearing something that was way too tight and was probably borrowed from a cheap discount store. Her face was heavily painted with the best makeup money could buy but Dave knew she could be better.

Nikki was going to be his newest project. _This might be interesting…_

-------------------

"Nice little place you have here," she smirked as she looked around.

Dave simply smiled. She was already cutting at him. A defense mechanism used by some women who had been burned one too many times. Someone who probably gave one-hundred percent of her all just to receive absolutely nothing at the very end. At one point, Dave guestimated Nikki was a sweet and loving girl. Years and many love conquests later, Nikki knew the ropes and could smell bullshit with the accuracy of a police dog.

Dave decided to get to know Nikki a little better by having a private dinner upstairs inside the club. Besides the occasional interruption of a waiter to serve them, it was only air and opportunity between the pair. The sexual tension was present but so was the frustration and irritation. Both challenged each other in many ways and they haven't had sex yet. But Dave was up for a challenge, indeed. "It makes a bit of chump change, yes."

"So," Nikki took a sip of the Cristal champagne and set the glass down, "what do you want?"

"I already have my answer, Nicole," Dave responded, "I just wanted to show you a good time."

"I hope you're not expecting pussy tonight," she stated.

"Not from you," he smiled.

Dave's response caught Nikki off her game just a little. She used to hearing a man beg and plead. Sometimes she get the occasional fool who would threaten to do bodily harm to her. But Dave simply laughed in her face. "So why did you bring me here, then?"

"I didn't bring you anywhere. I asked you out and you showed up on your own recognizance. You can leave anytime you want."

"I call bullshit. You wanted to get me here any way you could."

Dave looked down at his Cartier. Nikki already wasted two hours of his life by making him wait. Now she was wasting additional time by badgering him. To Dave, it was typical of the females he dealt with in the past. They wanted him to spoil them and give them everything they wanted—only if they had the opportunity to break him down first. It never worked with the last chicks and it damn sure wasn't going to work with his newest ex-wife-to-be. "Nicole, if you want to leave, do it. But you're wasting time trying to fuck with my head. I have plenty of other women I could be fucking right now and I'm going to once you leave. But if you want to go, go. If you want to stay, shut the fuck up so we can enjoy the rest of our evening without your bullshit color commentary."

Nikki finally met her match. Someone who talked as much as shit as she did and could back it up without trying. She never searched for someone to handle her; either they could or they couldn't. Now she was going to give Dave one final test. He would either kick her out of the club—or join her. "Listen, I'm going to put my cards on the table right now," Nikki began, "I can't just be with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going to be real with you. I can't just be with you. I also need to be with another woman or man," she continued, "I'm a swinger. I love sex. I love a lot of sex. I love to experiment. I love to play games."

"That's fine by me, baby." Dave smiled, "because I can't just be with one woman, either."

Dave's revelation opened the door for Nicole to ask a question she knew she was going to regret asking later. The answer was given before the question was asked. "How many women do you have?"

"I'll never be alone," he calmly replied.

"Then I have a request…" Nicole began.

Dave braced himself. Just like Nicole knew the answer to her question, Dave knew the request before it was said. "Go on."

"I want to be number one."

Dave could only smile for he had heard the request before and many times over. Many women before Nicole and they all talked the same game. They all wanted to be the only woman when it was clear they could only be the crème de la crème. Dave had no intention of settling down with just one woman anytime now or within the near future. But Nikki was making a strong case for herself and he wanted to hear her out. If she passed, he would bring her home to give her the fucking of her life. If she failed, well, she got a great lay out of it. "Are you ready for it?"


	26. The Beginning to the End, Part IV

Dave always considered himself a master at brokering deals. It was something he was surprisingly good at. He never tried to low-ball anyone but never wanted to spend too much time dealing with bullshit, either. It was a fair trade. Go back and forth and see which deal is the most reasonable. The best deal would always be free but those hardly ever happened and only existed in fairy-tale land. Instead, the second best deal would be what was offered for as little expense as possible.

Dave already sensed Nikki was going to be his most expensive acquisition.

Forrest Gump said it best: Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. But Dave knew exactly what he was going to get out of Nikki. She was deliciously sinful and a bit nutty on the same token. He was either going to swallow her up or spit her out like the other ones. A piece of candy make look good but the moment you taste it, you might be in for a nasty surprise.

Dave still wasn't sure what category Nikki fell in.

She was exquisite with impeccable taste. She was on fire, a hot temptress who couldn't be contained. Her swagger, her sex appeal, her body was everything Dave dreamed of for his wife to be but never imagined she would come true. She was intelligent, brass, and a sexpot. She knew what she wanted and how to get it. With Dave by Nikki's side, there was no telling what they could do. The world wouldn't be ready for them.

But Dave wondered how far Nikki wanted to go. She was a swinger and from her game talk, an experienced one. But talk was cheap. Either she was down for the ride or she had to get the hell off the bus. "I'm not sure you're ready for it," he merely replied.

"Ready for what? You said you couldn't be with just one woman. I can't just be with one man or woman. What is there to be ready for?"

"I'll have other female friends."

"That's fine—"

"Whom I'll sleep with occasionally without your knowledge," he interrupted.

Nikki smiled as she caught onto Dave's game playing. Men always said they were tired of women playing games but they never realized how bad they were at the game playing as well. "Only if I get to choose."

"You'll always get to choose," he reassured.

"But I need to make something clear," Nikki leaned closer to Dave, to the point their lips were touching, "I don't want a violation of trust. If I'm not cool with something, it stops. If you sense I'm not cool with something, it stops."

"Guaranteed."

Nicole smiled and sat back in her chair. "So how do you want to do this?"

"Forever?" Dave never believed in dramatic proposals.

"Or until I get tired of you?"

Dave disregarded Nikki's flippant remark. "You won't."

"You might get tired of me."

"That's a guarantee," he nodded.

Nikki scooted out of her chair and walked over to Dave, where she sat on his lap."You say you love to play games, don't you?"

"Not necessarily," he responded, "but I think you do."

"It's fun to fuck with people's heads. I get a kick out of it. Some people exercise to relieve stress. Some work out like there's no tomorrow. I like to play to mind fuck games."

"You do, don't you?"

Nikki thought of every mind fuck game she's ever played. From convincing police officers she was molested by her step-father so she could claim emancipation to living off welfare when she was driving a Mercedes. She was the master at it. Maybe she was _too_ good at it. "Yes."

"Then I have a game for you," Dave's hand began caressing Nikki's curves, "let's see if you want to play this one."

"Yes?"

"One of my friends owns a strip bar down the ways from here. There's a tasty treat I've been eyeing for a minute…"

"Go ahead."

"I want to see what her pussy looks like."

Nikki knew there was more to the request. If Dave wanted to fuck the stripper, he didn't have to tell her. He would just do it. "And?"

"I want to see how far you would go if I wanted to wife her?"

Nikki smiled. "You're on," she kissed her newest love, "I'm curious to see how far I'll go."


	27. The Beginning to the End, Part V

Four hours.

Four long and excruciating hours.

Too much fucking time for her taste.

And the day was about to get longer real quick.

Nikki was tired. She was exhausted, really. She wanted to go to sleep. In her bed. In her home. What she built. What her and Dave created.

Instead, she lounged on the plush sofas as Melina stared at her from afar. If Melina was content on staring, Nikki was just going to let her. She knew Melina wouldn't be stupid enough to try anything if she valued her life at all. Nikki would leave when everything was settled and she got what she wanted. She knew what she was after and Dave knew it, too. Melina, on the other hand, will find out soon enough.

It was never her intention for things to go so far or awry. Some turn of events even surprised her. But through and through, Nikki's loyalty and devotion to her husband—albeit, questionable—never faltered. Nikki was determined to prove a point, no matter what it took or whom she destroyed in the process.

One could never say Nicole Batista wasn't the baddest bitch they've encountered.

Meanwhile, Melina was stalking her nemesis. She knew Nikki was up to something. She felt it. She could taste it. The same woman who didn't hesitate inviting her to bed with Dave was now silently laughing in her face. She had to have been. Why would she come to the house, knowing Dave and Bella weren't around? She didn't make a single move and the opportunity for destruction was available. Melina could've been dead and Nikki would've been out of the country by now.

But nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. And it was the absence of action that made Nikki her most dangerous. After all, just because she wasn't active, didn't mean she wasn't up to something.

---------------------------------

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Melina's eyes were going a mile a minute on what she was really thinking. She was scared shitless and Dave wasn't there to protect her.

For four hours, Nikki was doing absolutely nothing but sitting on the couch reading The Da Vinci Code. Maybe it was a good book and Nikki just happened to read it. But the conspiracy theorist inside Melina felt the novel was Nikki's playbook. How to Fuck With Someone's Head, 101.

Maybe there was a greater purpose for Nikki's visit and Melina wasn't too sure exactly what it was. Re-claiming her old life with Dave was dead and gone. Nikki would be lucky if she even got visitation rights at that moment. Nikki could've killed Melina and escaped to another country already if that was her goal but she didn't. Instead, she read. Her eyes never left the pages of the novel and it almost seemed as if she was taunting Melina to keep staring at her.

But whatever game Nikki was playing, Melina wasn't going to let her win. Not this time. Not ever. _Just wait until Dave comes home. He'll show her who runs this house now. _

-----------------------------------------------

Truth to be told, no one was running a damn thing at the Batista household. Not Melina and certainly not Dave. If the real truth was told, Nikki was still the special guest star with a recurring role. Every decision was made based on her. Every afterthought was regarding her. No matter how many blow jobs Melina gave Dave, she could never be Nikki. It was that very thought that plastered a permanent smile across Nikki's face.

Nikki was more engulfed in finding out what Robert Langdon was doing inside The Da Vinci Code than to care about Melina's beady little eyes staring at her from afar. _Good, she might pick up some makeup tips. _ She proved her point by fucking with Melina's head and now she was going to prove Dave's point when he came home. She already knew Melina called him; now it was a matter of time of him showing up and finishing up what they started. Only Dave could answer that question.

Moreover, Nikki couldn't give a fuck less what Melina thought or wanted. She knew Melina was too chicken shit to do anything and was only cussing Nikki out in her mind. Other than that, Melina was going to stay put and just stare. Stare, stare, stare was all she was going to do. Stare, stare, stare was all Melina was good at. _She couldn't even suck a dick. _

The sudden ring of the house phone interrupted the thick silence that stood between the women. Melina rushed over to answer it and was pleased it was Dave. She called him over an hour before and he didn't return her phone call. Her anger for him soon turned into relief as she quickly picked up. "She's still here."

"I know," Dave replied nonchalantly. He knew Nikki wasn't going to leave anytime soon. In fact, she wasn't going to leave at all.

But Dave's demeanor wasn't sitting nicely with his new girlfriend. Melina had been cautiously watching Nikki for every second since she arrived, letting her photographic memory take steady notes on what the woman was doing. And it seemed that Dave not only didn't care but sounded irritated at Melina for caring. "What are you going to do? Are you coming home soon?"

Dave glanced at his Cartier. If he drove fast, he would be home in about five minutes. That is, if he cared. "I'll be home in a minute."

"What do you want me to do?"

"She's not going to do anything, Melina. Relax. If she wanted to do something, she would've done it, already. Just stay put and I'll be there in a minute," he then hung up.

Dave turned around in his office chair and stared at the nighttime Decatur sky. The moment he left his office, all hell was going to break loose. The truth was going to be revealed for once and all. Everything will be somewhat back to normal for Nikki and Dave but Melina's life would never be the same, no matter the payoff.

_Poor Melina, _Dave shook his head, _she was the sacrificial lamb. She'll get a nice going away present. _


	28. The End

_Author's Note: Thank you for supporting me as always. This is the finale! Xoxoxoxo V._

When Melina was a little girl growing up in her small town of Newheim, she dreamed she would be of big things. She loved to dance and often went to auditions. She performed with some of the biggest names in music and dreamt of being on Broadway. Staring out at the Decatur sunlight, Melina softly shook her head. _So close, yet so far._

She wasn't sure exactly where her fall from grace plummeted. Maybe it was the recreational cocaine habit she formed when she toured with several pop acts. Maybe it was the non-stop orgies she had when she was a cheerleader for a certain football team. Or maybe it was just her. Melina always seemed to get herself in predicaments that would astonish even some of her closest friends. People still wondered how she went from making six figures a year to stripping in a high-end strip club and having creditors pound on her door.

But that awful and dreaded past was about to be over. In just a few moments, Melina was going to have the lifestyle she always wanted. The fur coats, the bling, the Louboutins, the celebrity friends. She was going to inherit a step-daughter but Melina was not concerned about Isabella. There were always nannies available to take care of her.

She glanced down at the diamond watch Dave purchased for her. _When in the hell is he going to get home?_

————————————–

What was the price of someone's life? A life is priceless according to many people but Dave begged to differ. A homeless person was not worth the same dollar amount as Bill Gates. A street whore did not have the same value as Mother Theresa. Everyone had a different value on their lives.

But what was the price for intentionally fucking up someone's life for your own personal enjoyment?

As Dave withdrew money from the bank, he decided Melina's price was $500,000 and an audition with another sports team in a city that was very far away from the state of Georgia.

Dave was sending Melina to Toronto.

* * *

Patience is a virtue. It is something one learns and acquires over time and cannot be rushed at any time. It is also something Melina was seriously lacking in at the moment. She got off the phone with Dave almost two hours ago and Nikki was still in her house. No mention on when he'll be home or where he was. But that was beside the point. Dave was not _there._ He was everywhere but where he needed to be and Melina was growing anxious by the minute. She briefly entertained the idea that Dave was mind-fucking her but quickly put away such nonsense bullshit out of her head.

There was no way he was that mean and spiteful.

* * *

Nikki was so engrossed in the Da Vinci Code, she didn't care how long Melina was glaring at her. She turned the last page of the book and hurriedly finished the novel. The plots and twists were exciting and Nikki felt like she was actually a part of the novel. Well, she was part of real-life thriller, alright. And the ending would be a surprise to no one but her and Dave.

Nikki got up and stretched, feeling Melina's eyes boring holes through her body. _Good grief, doesn't she get tired of staring at my ass all damn day?_ She began to walk to the bathroom when Melina stepped in front of her.

"Where do you think you're going?" She tartly asked.

"To take a shit," Nikki curtly replied, "did you want to watch?

Melina slowly shook her head. "I don't trust you,"

"I wouldn't give a fuck if you did," Nikki replied back, "now, do you want to spend the next few hours scrubbing my shit off the carpet or can I use the fucking bathroom for Pete's sake?"

Melina moved out Nikki's way and watched her enter the bathroom and lock the door behind her. She let out a deep sigh and looked down at her watch. She called Dave two hours ago and he still hadn't showed up. _Where in the hell is he?_ Just when she was about to call him again, she heard his Maserati pull up in the driveway. It was now showtime.

Little did Melina know she was the starring player.

* * *

Dave entered the home and was greeted by a monstrous embrace from Melina. She clutched his body like he was a soldier coming home from war. "Where have you been? I have been scared! She's been threatening me! She told me she was going to kill me and get rid of my body and no one would ever hear from me again!"

_Well, Nikki has the last part right. _"Don't worry, baby. I'm here," Dave caressed Melina's hair, "where is she?"

Almost on cue, the toilet flushed and Nikki emerged a few minutes later. "Welcome home, lover. How was work?"

"It was nice. Not a great day, but not a horrible day," he smiled.

"Good," Nikki smiled back.

Distraught by what she was hearing, Melina pulled away from Dave. "What are you doing? She threatened to kill me and you're making small chit-chat with her? Do something!"

"Oh, I threatened to kill you?" Nikki scoffed. "Child, if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have threatened you with it. I would've done it."

"Yeah, well, you're not doing shit now, aren't you?"

"You're pretty bold right now," Nikki smirked, "I guess you got a little too comfortable."

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" Melina raised her voice.

"It means…" Dave pulled out the cashier's check and presented it to Melina, "thank you for your services, but they are no longer required."

Melina looked down at the check and slowly counted the zeros. Five-hundred thousand dollars. That was more than enough money to pay off her creditor and begin a new life. It was enough to purchase the Mercedes she always wanted and travel around the world.

The money also guaranteed something else to Melina: it was hush money. She just got fucked by two of the dirtiest players in the game. Five-hundred thousand dollars wasn't shit in the overall scheme of things but Dave knew she was going to take the money whether she wanted to or not.

"Wait a minute…" Melina swallowed as she tried to digest everything. "You tell me this was one big fucking joke between the two of you? This was just a fucking game?"

"You see, darling," Nikki walked over to Melina, "you were just something to do. Yeah, things went a little far but you know, shit happens."

"What about the arrests? The shootings? The payoffs? All a game?"

"We might have gotten a little carried away but some rules are meant to be broken," Nikki slyly smiled.

Melina felt the walls closing in on her. There was no way this could have been remotely true. She made one last-ditch effort to her lover. "Dave, is...is this true?"

"Your flight leaves in 2 hours," Dave casually mentioned, "you're heading to Toronto. You already have a furnished apartment and clothing waiting for you there. You have an appointment with the lead choreographer of a sports team later this week while you're up there."

"You…y-y-you…" Melina stammered, "you planned this all along?"

An awaiting Lincoln Town Car pulled in front of the house and honked the horn. "You don't want to be late for your flight, baby," Dave kissed Melina and led her outside to the awaiting taxi, "thank you for everything. I wish you success." He then watched as the limo sped off into the dark Decatur night.

Nikki followed Dave outside and wrapped her arms around his waist. "So who won this bet?"

Dave turned around and picked up his wife. "I think we can call it a tie."

The End


End file.
